“Last Friday, three global pesticide corporations threw the legal equivalent of the kitchen sink at the island of Kaua’i. The suit filed in federal court is the latest in a long stream of corporate bullying that has become commonplace on the island and around the world.
For years, the Hawaiian islands have been a global epicenter of testing genetically engineered (GE) seeds. This means big money for pesticide and biotech corporations. And as momentum grows to restrict GE testing and pesticide use thoughout the islands, corporate bully tactics are becoming increasingly agressive. And desperate.
Last Friday, I was on Kaua’i when we got word that Dow, DuPont Pioneer and Syngenta filed suit against the County of Kaua’i. And the high-powered attorneys trumped up every possible legal argument to try and tank an important new law.
The suit comes on the heels of a historic victory; last fall, Kaua’i passed a county law (Bill 2491) that would allow greater public disclosure of pesticide use, as well as modest no-spray protection zones around schools and other places where children live, learn and play.”
-Paul Towers