Kona Coffee Council Policy on
Genetically Modified Coffee Plants

ISSUED FRIDAY JULY 12TH 2002

The Kona Coffee Council opposes the introduction of genetically modified coffee plants into the North and South Kona regions.

Specifically, we request the following:

1. Impose a moratorium on the release of genetically modified coffee plants into the Kona regions until a regulatory regime has been adopted that includes extensive evaluation of genetic contamination from pollen drift and other environmental consequences and secondary ecological effects.

2. Rule that liability for any external costs to individuals and the environment caused by physical spillover effects, such as genetic contamination from pollen drift, must be borne by the growers, manufacturers and distributors of genetically engineered plants.

3. In conjunction with the establishment of an adequate regulatory regime as outlined in (1), require genetically modified plantings to be explicitly labeled as such, and neighboring properties notified. The costs of such labeling and notification to be borne by the owner or lessee of the planted land.

4. Any coffee produced from genetically modified plants to be explicitly labeled as such at every stage of its production though to sale to provide adequate information to processors and consumers. The costs of such labeling and verification to be borne by the growers and processors of the genetically modified coffee.

Note:

The KCC Policy has been endorsed by the Kona Farmers Alliance, The Kona Pacific Farmers Cooperative, the Kona County Farm Bureau, and the Hawaii Organic Farming Association.

The Hawaii Coffee Association issued its own policy that there should be no GM coffee grown commercially or field tested in the State of Hawaii.

The Hawaii County Council voted to recommend to the State agencies that a Regional Review Protocol (ie: one that invoved the Kona Region) should be in place prior to any release of any GM coffee plants in Kona.