Farmers' Dust Fine Violates Hawaii Right to Farm Act

Dear Editor,     April 12, 2014

In support of local agriculture, I am confused about the Monsanto air pollution case (Maui News 4/12/14) and just how the state Department of Healthy can ignore Hawaii’s Right to Farm Act, which states under Chapter §165-4  Right to farm:

"No court, official, public servant, or public employee shall declare any farming operation a nuisance for any reason if the farming operation has been conducted in a manner consistent with generally accepted agricultural and management practices."

How can the DOH Clean Air Branch ignore or violate the Hawaii Right To Farm Act? Are they being overly influenced by the website “Squealers Anonymous”?

Don Gerbig

Lahaina, Maui