Letter for Aug. 13, 2016

Letter for Aug. 13, 2016

Protection needed from pesticides

Aloha I am back on island, there is some information that we need to readdress, this is regarding Ordinance 960, in Nov. of 2013 Kauai won a historic law. It addressed excessive pesticide use by GMO companies on our island. Now the agrochemical companies that lost, (Dow, Pioneer, Syngenta, and BASF) are challenging our victory in federal court. Their argument is that the people of Kauai and their elected county leaders do not have the legal right to protect their children, the land, and the island’s future. 

Kauai is ground zero for GMO test seed experimentation and GMO seed development by the companies named above. 

GMO seed test sites require dangerously heavy levels of pesticide application, far greater than conventional agriculture. 

Over the past three years an estimated 60 tons or 120,00 pounds of hazardous “restricted use”pesticide” have been applied to our island “Kauai.” 

Pesticides, derivatives of agent orange, Dicamba, Atrazine, and chlorpyrifos are being applied near our homes, schools, workplaces, churches and medical facilities. Now it is up to the federal courts. 

Coalition supporters successfully convinced the Kauai County Council to stand up for the island’s families by supporting the publics right to know what, where and when chemicals are being applied. It also provided for buffer zones that would help reduce constant dust and drift from the agrochemical fields that affected many homes, schools, businesses and medical facilities. 

Without these basic protections the Kauai community is powerless to protect itself, people, land and sea from harm. Children and families are getting sick, land and water are being contaminated. 

We need to continue to ask our elected officials to help us protect ourselves and all islands and land from these poisons. 

Linda Bothe 

Kalaheo