Maui signs pesticide disclosure agreement with Monsanto after passage of historic Hawaii GMO bills

(http://www.huffingtonpost.com) Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa has signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" agreement with Monsanto. Known as the "Maui County AG Oversight Agreement," the agreement requires Monsanto to disclose all "restricted-use pesticides" that are sprayed in Maui Country, how much is sprayed and the number of acres that they are used on. Under the deal, Monsanto must also report how it's dealing with dust and soil erosion. The company will meet with county officials each quarter to discuss pesticide usage and other community issues.

The announcement of this deal comes in the wake of the passage of two significant GMO bills in Hawaii. The island of Kauai passed legislation restricting where biotech companies can spray pesticides and requiring full disclosure of when and where they will be sprayed. Meanwhile, the Hawaii County Council banned biotech companies from operating on the Big Island and all GMO crops except for corn and papaya that are already being cultivated.

As reported by the Huffington Post, Rod Antone, who is Mayor Arakawa's communications director, said, "We thought that after the Big Island [passed its bill], this is about a good a time as ever. Maui would be next. It doesn't prevent anyone from approaching the council about a bill, but this is a good way to start the dialogue. The county wanted to be proactive rather than reactive."