HILO, Hawai'i — The Hawai'i County Council has voted unanimously to ban the genetic modification of taro and coffee.

The council on Wednesday voted 9-0 in favor of a bill making it illegal to "test, propagate, cultivate, raise, plant, grow, introduce or release" genetically engineered taro and coffee.

About 70 residents testified on the bill in Hilo, while about 30 spoke via teleconference from council offices in Waimea and Kona.

A vast majority spoke in favor of the ban.

The council has already passed a resolution asking state lawmakers to prohibit genetically modified taro and coffee.

But two separate measures that would have done so failed in the Legislature this year.