Posted: Thursday, August 14, 2008 10:14 am

Derek Kawakami is running for a seat on the County Council of Kaua`i, Hawaii. What's he doing in this section of GMObelus? Well, for one thing, his outline of the issues in agricultural biotechnology might be the most succinct, matter-of-fact outline that there is.

"My research into genetically modified organisms led me to two distinct points of view on the subject matter", Kawakami says on his blog. After comparing the "two distinct points of view", he reaches a number of conclusions, such as:

The technology is safe, and important for humans, the environment, and the economy; growing GM crops on Kaua`i should not be banned; and locations of trials should not be publicized.

These are rather strong positions to take in Hawaii, where anti-GM agitation by activists is rife.