Hawai’i Will Become First State in USA to Ban Toxic Pesticide Chlorpyrifos Robust People-Powered Effort Pressures Lawmakers to Pass Historic Pesticide Bill That Includes Buffer Zones & Disclosure

Posted by - April 30, 2018

In a victory for people power, Hawai’i is about to become the first state in the nation to ban the neurotoxic pesticide chlorpyrifos. The ban is part of a historic new pesticide regulation bill that had already passed the House, and on Friday, April 27, passed the Senate Conference Committee. The bill, after enormous opposition from

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Will Hawai’i’s New Pesticide Bill Triumph Over Agribusiness Lies Critical Effective Pesticide Bill Will Be Determined in Next Few Weeks

Posted by - April 13, 2018

For too long certain politicians in Hawaii have stonewalled pesticide regulation typically arguing they have to protect the economic interests of small farmers across the state. It’s a myth, which has been exploded by new research by Autumn Ness, who is on the Hawai’i Center for Food Safety’s Advisory Board. “The small farmer argument is

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Backroom Deal Torpedoes Important Hawai’i Pesticide Bill A Bill Which Would Have Required Mandatory Disclosure and Pre-notification of Pesticide Spraying Near Some Island Schools Is Severely Gutted.

Posted by - March 7, 2018

Maui’s Senator Roz Baker was instrumental in deleting important mandatory pesticide disclosure and notification sections from the SB 3095 bill. The original bill was opposed by Monsanto, Alexander & Baldwin Co., and the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association. “It was Roz Baker who gutted the bill,” reports Autumn Ness, who is on the Hawai’i Center for

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New Harmful Pesticide Bills Offer Hawai’i Hope The Battle Against Toxic Pesticides Has Met With Little Legislative Action Until Now

Posted by - February 27, 2018

    The fight against the harmful use of pesticides in Hawai’i has been a slow and strenuous battle. From birth defects reported on Kaua’i to the federal court overruling the SHAKA Movement-lead GMO moratorium, the battle against pesticides has been met with little, or at least not sufficient, legislative action. But, as of this

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Hawai’i’s Journey from Plantation Exploitation to Agro-Chemical Poisoning Exposed in Historic New Study "Hawai’i: GMO Ground Zero" offers critical analysis of agrochemical industry

Posted by - August 15, 2017

A brilliant new doctoral thesis by Kauai native Andrea Brower reveals the first comprehensive analysis of how Hawai’i’s historically exploitative plantation system has morphed into the ecologically exploitative “agrochemical-seed-biotechnology industry’s occupation of Hawai’i.” Brower’s 314 page doctoral thesis, titled, “Hawai’i: GMO Ground Zero,” contributes what she frames as a, “previously absent critical analysis of Monsanto,

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Hawaii State Government Wakes Up To It’s Pesticide Problem

Posted by - December 17, 2016

The state is finally taking some first steps to address  concerns about pesticide drift from large agri-chemical company operations in Hawaii. In a joint press statement, the Hawaii Departments of Health and Agriculture described several initiatives recommended by the state/county sponsored Joint Fact Finding Group Report. Plans include a $500,000 surface water quality study (by

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Earthjustice Takes on Hawaii’s Dysfunctional Department of Agriculture

Posted by - August 5, 2016

The environmental law firm, Earthjustice has asked the US Environmental Protection Agency to revoke the Hawaii Department of Agriculture’s primary authority to investigate and enforce pesticide use violations of federal pesticide law in Hawaii. Earthjustice representatives say the HDOA has “failed to enforce pesticide use violations and has allowed a large backlog of pesticide complaints and

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Maui Gets to Grow Industrial Hemp

Posted by - July 11, 2016

Hawaii’s governor has signed the Industrial Hemp Bill which establishes an industrial hemp pilot program through the Department of Agriculture allowing the cultivation of  hemp and distribution of hemp seed in Hawaii for purposes of agricultural or academic research. Alexander and Baldwin Inc. (which owns massive acres of land) is considering planting hemp under its

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