Critics of the growing of experimental genetically-modified crops are planning a protest rally at the historic Kauai County building Saturday in response to recent federal fines levied against Pioneer Hi-Bred International. The rally is scheduled to start at 11 a.m.
Critics of the growing of experimental genetically-modified crops are planning a protest rally at the historic Kauai County building Saturday in response to recent federal fines levied against Pioneer Hi-Bred International.
The rally is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. and is being held in response to the payment of $72,000 by Pioneer Hi-Bred International to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The corporation was fined for failing to promptly notify government officials that genetically engineered corn was grown near other crops in Waimea.
Pioneer also paid the fine because it didn’t submit within five days maps to the EPA identifying the location of the tainted plants .
Douglass Tiffany, a research scientist for Pioneer, said his company welcomes free speech on the matter.
“We really welcome different viewpoints. We support people’s right to share their opinion in any venue,” Tiffany said.
He said the experimental work has merit and is safe. “Pioneer and the federal government and a large percentage of the scientific community feel that biotechnology is safe and brings many benefits to the world,” he said.
Tiffany said a Pioneer representative will probably attend Saturday’s protest rally. He said the company’s delay in sending the information to the EPA stemmed from confusion over when to send it, and that the company takes responsibility for that matter.
As required by the EPA, Pioneer officials retested the plants, and more sensitive DNA testing showed a negative reading. Initial test showed a possible mingling of the experimental gene corn with other seed-corn plants.
Also, 12 positive test results showing mingling of experiential genes with other plants were from U.S. Department of Agriculture-related fields, Tiffany said.
Company workers knew about the existence of the 12 plants and that the plants did not pose a situation where they would “get into the food chain in any way,” Tiffany has said.
The two reporting conditions were part of an agreement EPA officials had reached with Pioneer representatives in a separate $9,000 settlement in December.
Related to the settlement, EPA alleged Pioneer mishandled experimental crops grown in west Kaua’i. Pioneer officials denied any wrongdoing.
For more information on the rally, contact Noli Hoye at 826-4290 or mailto:nolihoye@care2.com or Kim Ione at 828-1231.
Staff writer Lester Chang can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and mailto:lchang@pulitzer.net
