EDITORIAL
Biotech industry must do a better sales job

One of the more successful "high tech" industries in Hawai'i is the growing and development of genetically altered or "transgenic" seed crops.

As reported by John Duchemin, this is already a $30 million industry, with potential for substantial growth.

But this industry does not come without critics. As Duchemin reports, there is considerable opposition to genetic alteration of these crops — primarily but not exclusively corn.

Concerns center on two areas:

• That pollen from genetically altered crops will "drift" to other crops, which could change their quality or consumer appeal as a natural, organic crop.
• That disease-, insect- or pesticide-resistant altered crops could cross-pollinate with natural crops or weeds, creating a breed of difficult-to-eliminate super-weeds that would threaten indigenous species.

Scientists who work with these crops say both fears, while understandable, have little grounding in reality. Research shows that such experimentation can be done safely and successfully, and has been for many years.

Perhaps the biggest worry about such crops — and this work extends to everything from coffee to papaya as well as seed corn — is consumer reaction.

There has been a backlash against modified food products in Europe, particularly. If Hawai'i products earn a reputation as "dangerous" — no matter how unfair or undeserved that reputation is — then our entire agricultural industry could be harmed.

The cure here is openness about this science and public education, something the industry itself now realizes it needs. The Hawai'i Agriculture Research Center told Duchemin it will step up its efforts at "bio-education" among residents and consumers.

This is an exciting niche industry for Hawai'i that should not be lost for failure to sell itself honestly and well.