Can ag chairmen agree on GMOs?

The new chairmen of the agriculture committees in the state Legislature are both Big Island Democrats, but they’ve staked out opposite positions on whether to label genetically modified organism (GMO) foods.

In the Senate, we have Russell Ruderman, a Puna resident who supports labeling, and who owns health-food stores that presumably could profit from labeling that serves to demonize genetically modified food. In the House, we have Clift Tsuji, from Hilo, who opposes labeling and has been honored by biotechnology interests that contribute to his campaign funds.

There are pressing issues in Hawaii agriculture beyond GMOs, of course, and we expect that’s where these two will be able to find common ground.

An anniversary passes quietly

Politically, this Nov. 13, calm and quiet, was dramatically different from last year’s. For it was one year ago, that Hawaii marked the signing of its historic marriage equality law, which gave same-sex couples the legal right to marry in this state.

The signing by Gov. Neil Abercrombie came at the end of an emotionally charged special legislative session, which drew much impassioned testimony from both sides of the issue. Further, the new law culminated some two decades of contentious policy-making over the rights of same-sex couples, following reciprocal beneficiary relationships in 1997 then civil unions in 2012.

A legal challenge remains to be heard next month; meanwhile, gay marriages accounted for nearly 14 percent of Hawaii’s marriages in the half-year since the law took effect on Dec. 2.

And life goes on.