As many of you know, there is a huge division in many communities happening as the result of the attack and agricultural technology. Counties are listening to the most ill informed people to base these laws upon and the farmers are under attack. If we as a state are to grow our ag industries, we need the support of our leaders to attain this or our farmers will have no incentive to continue the tireless work they do.

Farmers have constantly been targets in our communities by these activists. They have been subject to death threats, threats of agroterrorism and disrespectful comments on their business pages. Here is a story,The Legend of the A'ole GMO, that summarizes up what is happening across the state. As you can see, it is not pretty at all.

These people are not well educated either and it shows inmany of their commentarymade that reflect it and yet some how these are the very people that is getting the attention of the leaders of our state. These are the same people who eventhreated the Mayor Carvalhoalso when he realized the issues with the anti-ag bill. That is not pono at all.

Also the groups that are contacting you are full of misinformation and nasty commentary too. The Hawaii GMO Justice Coalition is one of them with some of the mostvile commentsaround.Then there is the Babes Against Biotech too with theirmisinformationon agriculture andbullying tacticsalso. These groups are all about keeping people in the dark about technology and taking away tools for the future based in fear and misinformation.

Do we want this kind of atmosphere to continue in our ag industry here in our islands? Apparentlyrogue county council memberslike this kind of maneuvering and are on their way to destroying the future of agriculture. Here's my take on what will happen if we take theroute we are headingif leaders listen to them. We are about reject the evidence base created over several decades in the name of ignorance? That's irresponsible.

Public opinion does not always make for good laws for several reasons. Although they may have the numbers to support them, it does not make forgood policy. The consequences of shortsighted thinking and the latest trend of the moment can have longer term repercussions that we can never recover from. We can't afford to do that in our state.

Leaders have a responsibility to do what is in the best interest for all, especially the minority who are the farmers and ag people in our state. If you continue to listen to the majority's opinions, you are sending a message to all people that this is the kind of atmosphere we want for our state in how policy is made. Listen to the farmers and agricultural communities that are doing the work to solve problems and feed us. That is the responsible thing to do for all of the state.