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THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
  REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO CONSIDER ALLOWING
    HAWAII GROWERS TO IMPORT SPECIFIC BENEFICIAL INSECT
    SPECIES DIRECTLY FROM COMMERCIAL MAINLAND LABORATORIES,
    WITHOUT INSPECTION, FOR BIOLOGICAL PEST CONTROL PURPOSES.



 1        WHEREAS, one problem facing Hawaii growers who rely
 2   regularly and heavily on the use of pesticides to get their
 3   goods to market, is the specificity of federal and state laws
 4   that restrict the use of pesticides (and pesticide products) to
 5   specific crops or plants and for specific pests; and
 6   
 7        WHEREAS, biological pest control may be the best remaining
 8   weapon that agriculturalists and horticulturists in Hawaii have
 9   against the ever increasing number of pesticide-resistant plant
10   pests or pests not found on pesticide labels that are
11   unintentionally introduced into the State each year; and
12   
13        WHEREAS, many of the parasitic and predatory insect
14   species used on the mainland for biological pest control
15   purposes have already established themselves in Hawaii through
16   unlawful introductions, and are not known to have attacked or
17   have had adverse impacts on native and other desirable species;
18   and
19   
20        WHEREAS, although the technique of integrated pest
21   management has produced good results in many temperate climate
22   states, the lack of an insect-killing winter and the expense of
23   fallowing land for even one growing cycle has forced growers in
24   Hawaii to rely regularly and heavily on pesticides; and
25   
26        WHEREAS, while fruits, vegetables, cut flowers, and potted
27   plants could be grown in Hawaii without using pesticides, the
28   reduction in shelf life and consumer appeal--or marketability--
29   caused by insect damage would place Hawaii grown produce and
30   products at a huge disadvantage in the global marketplace; and
31   
32        WHEREAS, biological pest control could provide Hawaii
33   growers with the means for effectively combatting pesticide-
34   resistant plant pests and pests not found on pesticide labels,

 
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 1   and for competing with mainland and overseas growers in the
 2   emerging market for organically-grown produce and plants; and
 3   
 4        WHEREAS, the existing process for approving and importing
 5   beneficial insects that parasitize or prey on agricultural or
 6   horticultural plant pests is lengthy, and may not meet the
 7   needs of a grower who faces the sudden unexpected loss of an
 8   entire planting just a few days before harvest; and
 9   
10        WHEREAS, growers in Hawaii would like to have the
11   ability--like growers on the mainland--to purchase beneficial
12   insects directly from commercial laboratories that specialize
13   in the rearing of parasite- and disease-free stocks, if these
14   insects have already established themselves in Hawaii; and
15   
16        WHEREAS, the ability of Hawaii growers to import these
17   beneficial insects directly from commercial laboratories,
18   without inspection, may be crucial to biological pest control
19   since shipping and handling stress the insects, thereby
20   increasing mortality and their susceptibility to disease; and
21   
22        WHEREAS, according to growers in Hawaii, these beneficial
23   insect species may include:  Chilorcus circumdatus (Ladybird
24   beetle), Lindorus lophante (Ladybird beetle), Crytolaemus
25   montrouziera (Ladybird beetle), Leptomastix dactylopii
26   (Mealybug parasite), Nasonia vitripennis (Fly parasite),
27   Muscidifurax zaraptor (Fly parasite), Chysoperla carnea (Green
28   lacewing), Chysoperla comanche (Green lacewing), Scolothrips
29   sexmaculatus (Six spotted thrips), Aphidius colemani (Aphid
30   parasite), Aphidoletes aphidomyza (Aphid predator), Geocoris
31   punctipes (Big eyed bug), Steinernema feltiae (Beneficial
32   nematode), Trichogramma minutum (Moth egg parasite),
33   Trichogramma pretiosum (Moth egg parasite), Encarsia formosa
34   (White fly parasite), Delphastus pusillus (White fly predator),
35   Orius insidiosus (Minute pirate bug), Metaphycus belvolus
36   (Black scale parasite), Aphytus lepidosaphes (Purple scale
37   parasite), Diglyphus isaea (Leafminer parasite), Phytoseiulus
38   persimilis (Predatory mite), Mesoseuilus longpipes (Predatory
39   mite), Neoseiulus californicus (Predatory mite), Galendromus
40   occidentalis (Predatory mite), and Hypoaspis miles (Predatory
41   mite); now, therefore,
42   
43        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
44   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2000, the House of
45   Representatives concurring, that the Department of Agriculture

 
 
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 1   is requested to consider allowing Hawaii growers to import
 2   these specific beneficial insect species directly from
 3   commercial mainland laboratories, without inspection by
 4   Department of Agriculture personnel, for biological pest
 5   control purposes, if these insects have already established
 6   themselves in Hawaii; and
 7   
 8        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Agriculture
 9   is requested to report its decision in this matter to the
10   Legislature not less than twenty days prior to the convening of
11   the Regular Session of 2001; and
12   
13        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
14   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the
15   Board of Agriculture, the Chairperson of the Board of Land and
16   Natural Resources, and the Director of Health.
17   
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21                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________