Happy Saturday, Ohana!

As of this post we're well over 850 signatures!  Overwhelming gratitude to everyone supporting, donating, and participating in this cause!

Below is the second article I wanted to share, regarding Gossypol toxicity related to livestock feed.  This is the same one I summarized for you on TikTok the other night. 

One of the Hogstop Hi arguments is that livestock feed is "similar" to Hogstop in that they both include cottonseed oil.  What isn't made clear is that cottonseed oil comes in two forms.  One is toxic (free) and the other is not (bound/bonded). 

How do we find balance in a product designed as a pesticide to cause infertility in wild boar, while simultaneously being safe for humans? If farmers need to monitor the levels of Gossypol in their livestock to keep them thriving, then how does "similar" apply when the efficacy to sterilize requires more than a safe-to-consume feed?  If Hogstop is similar or same as livestock feed, then the assumption would be that we're feeding wild boar to thrive, which is the opposite of the purpose of this pesticide in the first place.  This is confusing.  What is dis-similar to livestock feed then?  This is the ultimate question.  

Hogstop as a pesticide from a general standpoint may not be "toxic", and may be a very useful tool for controlling wild boar in other States where these animals are considered a nuisance, pest, etc., and not viewed as a food source.  Culturally for Hawai`i however, this is not the case.  Because of the nature of our culture and delicate ecosystem, the same reasoning for use/application does not apply.

If we have laws against importing animals and flora into our state that pose a threat to our ecosystem, then there should be a law that prevents pesticides from being imported into the state for the same reasons. Is there such a law in place?  Did this product have to be brought to the State for approval before being brought in?  If not, why not?  What are the State laws on sole sourcing for products like this?

Definition of sole sourcing - A sole source purchase means that only one supplier (source), to the best of the requester's knowledge and belief, based upon THOROUGH research, (i.e. conducting a market survey), is capable of delivering the required product of service. (Idaho State University)

Mahalo for reading,

Mai