I have to hand it to the Center for Food Safety with their excellent photoshopping skills. They know exactly how to prep people for “talking points” and pull on the heartstrings of legislators. Present the same info and get them all to repeat it over and over. People will believe you more when it’s said multiple times without question no matter how illogical it may be.

On their social media sites, you find nothing but photos of kids in memes and the same words of poison, toxins, deadly dust and so on. Every once in awhile, suited gas mask man is sitting in a field. There are no links to educate people on where these claims are coming from other than their own websites. True education and exposure to facts will cause the general internet scholar to think which is dangerous to their movement. The entire theme that you’ll see is that farmers are poisoning people with no data to back it up. They are experts in getting hipsters into this great cool social movement. When you are well fed, have extra time and money, this is nothing more than hobby activism of the privileged. How many needy folks are going to hang out at The Pig and Lady restaurant to talk about issues?

Interesting enough that when they first started posting things, they had nice photos of taro fields and scenic areas with hip looking folks in it. Fast forward to the last several months, and you get doom and gloom. Their message is you’re being sprayed and we’re all being killed. Time to whip up the paranoia button before the legislative session starts!

I prefer to stand on the side of facts and rational thoughts. Some people think I speak for the seed companies. The problem is they just don’t understand farming irregardless of what’s being farmed. The facts and concepts apply to all types of farming. Hawaii agriculture is not what the Center for Food Safety tries to portray which is why they sell the fear ticket. It’s easy to demonized a farm that you’ve never been on or used as your livelihoods. These people claim to love agriculture but you can’t love it and then attempt to dismantle it. You either love it all or hate it. It just can’t go both ways.

Will our legislators take the time to consider facts or drink up the emotional pot of fear? Is that fear going to make anyone healthier when it doesn’t get to the actual cause of these mystery illnesses. The first step in solving this case is to get to the root of the problem and not jumping to conclusions.

It is clear that the goal is to destroy our agricultural heritage by taking advantage of people’s lack of knowledge is science and farming. Take a look at the real side that is actually producing something tangible and growing Hawaii. It’s sure not the Center for Food Safety from its office in the concrete capital.