By Mark Ladao
The state Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity rejected a proposal to relax import restrictions to Maui and Lana?i meant to keep out the invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle, but is open to making changes to those restrictions.
On Tuesday, state agriculture officials asked the board to allow potential CRB host material from non-infested — other than O?ahu, Kaua?i and a part of West Hawai?i Island — to Maui and Lana?i without first being treated for the beetle.
The board voted against the proposal, saying the threat of CRB spreading is too high.
“We've got to be proactive. We've got to send the right message out to everybody, which is why I find it hard to support this amendment at this point. I'd like to see stronger regulation,” said board member Michael Faye. “And are we ready yet to loosen things up? We'll be able to have the ways to slow these things down or stop them, but we're not there yet. So the stronger we can make things now, the better.”
The state Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity’s Plant Quarantine Branch recommended the changes after discussing the rules with business leaders impacted by the rules.
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