The state House Committee on Agriculture has deferred a bill that would impose a 10-year moratorium on developing or growing genetically engineered taro in Hawai'i.

The action came after a seven-hour hearing Wednesday on the measure that included spoken testimony from about 130 people.

It still remains possible, however, that Senate Bill 958 could be advanced after more deliberation by the committee.

The bill was introduced last year and passed by one Senate committee and one House committee. But the bill carried over to this year's legislative session after the House Committee on Agriculture last year declined to hold a hearing on the measure.

If the bill is passed by the House Committee on Agriculture unchanged, it could advance to Gov. Linda Lingle for consideration. If the bill is passed with amendments, it would go to a joint conference committee between the House and Senate or to the floor of both chambers if the Senate agrees to any House amendments.

Supporters of SB958 are largely Native Hawaiian taro farmers who say genetic engineering of taro, or kalo in Hawaiian, is unnecessary and an affront to Hawaiian culture, which holds the plant sacred. Many moratorium proponents also fear that genetically modified taro, if produced and tested outside, could mix with traditional varieties.

Bill opponents argue a ban would set back research to protect an important crop from natural pests that threaten further declines in Hawaii taro production, and establish a precedent to ban other genetically modified crops. Biotech representatives also say contamination between traditional and genetically modified taro varieties is extremely unlikely because new plants are now grown from existing plants instead of by pollination.

Two years ago, the Legislature considered, but did not pass, bills that would have limited genetic research and growing of non-Hawaiian varieties of taro.

Reach Andrew Gomes at agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com.