April 4, 2008
Source: Thomson Financial News
Wire Service: AP
http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2008/04/04/afx4856190.html
The sacred Hawaiian taro plant cannot be genetically modified for at least five years, according to a measure approved by lawmakers Thursday.
The moratorium falls short of the demands of many taro farmers and Native Hawaiian groups who want taro to remain untampered with forever. They sought a 10-year ban on alteration of the crop used to make the starchy food poi, a key ingredient in island cuisine.
'We wanted to keep taro pure,' said Steven Hookano, a Maui taro farmer carrying a taro plant at the Capitol. 'This is nothing but a time out.'