Ritte, Konanui to speak on taro

Walter Ritte, hunter and Hawaiian activist, and Jerry Konanui, taro grower and educator, will be part of a free educational evening Oct. 18 at Kaua‘i Community College’s Performing Arts Center.

The public is invited to hear the pair discuss the University of Hawai‘i’s genetic modification experiments and patenting of taro and farmers’ concerns over the unintended consequences on agriculture and on the food supply.

There will be free fish and poi at 6 p.m. A short film, “Islands at Risk, Genetic Engineering in Hawai‘i,” will be shown at 7 p.m., followed by the guest speakers and a question and answer session.

There will also be an opportunity to learn more about sustainable farming methods from local Kaua‘i growers.

The evening is sponsored by GMO Free Kaua‘i and HawaiiSEED. For more information, call 651-9603 or visit hawaiiSEED.org.