HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

266

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO COLLABORATE WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO DEVELOP A TREE CROP INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR TREE FARMS IN HAWAII.

 

 


     WHEREAS, tree farming can provide many long-term, social, environmental, and economic benefits for the state; and

 

     WHEREAS, forests can mitigate the effects of global warming; and

 

     WHEREAS, tree farms can protect island watersheds, prevent soil erosion, and provide habitats for wildlife; and

 

     WHEREAS, further development of the tree farm industry in Hawaii may reduce the unfavorable practice of cutting down and destroying native trees and forests because wood produced from tree farms may be purchased at retail markets; and

 

     WHEREAS, tree farms are a growing industry in Hawaii, producing $30,700,000 in revenues in 2001, and has experienced a 6.2 percent increase since 1991; and

 

     WHEREAS, expanding the tree farm industry has the potential of:

 

     (1)  Increasing lumber processing;

 

     (2)  Creating more furniture-making and other wood carpentry jobs; and

 

     (3)  Promoting an export product,

 

which all may contribute to diversifying and strengthening the State's economy; and

     WHEREAS, a natural disaster may easily destroy decades of physical work, financial investment, and all its associated economic benefits; and

 

     WHEREAS, tree crop insurance may provide economic stability to investors, managers, and employees in the tree farm business; and

 

     WHEREAS, although private insurance policies for tree crops are not available, private insurance policies are available for other types of agricultural products, including macadamia nuts, mango trees, tobacco plants, and avocado trees; and

 

     WHEREAS, private insurance policies for tree crops may become an economically viable and feasible option if the financial risk could be spread out among the many farms in Hawaii and on the mainland; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Agriculture (DOA) is requested to collaborate with the United States Department of Agriculture to develop a tree crop insurance program for Hawaii; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DOA is requested to submit a written report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the 2008 Regular Session; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture; Administrator of the United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency; Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture; President of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; and the President of the Hawaii Forest Industry Association.

Report Title: 

Tree Crop Insurance; Department of Agriculture; Report