Report Title:

Agricultural Research and Development; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriating funds for a grant for the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation to conduct agricultural research and development (HB404 HD1).

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

404

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that agriculture plays a vital role in Hawaii’s efforts to become more self-sustainable.  Agriculture not only contributes to the State's economy by providing employment opportunities, products for export, and a stage for tourism, but also performs a public service by helping to perpetuate a rural lifestyle for Hawaii's residents who in turn provide stewardship for Hawaii's lands and water.

     With the demise of the plantations that once controlled vast acres of pineapple and sugar cane fields, there is a need tO promote the diversification of Hawaii's agriculture industry.  Hawaii must also diversify its economic base beyond a reliance on tourism.  A revived and revitalized agriculture industry promises not only to achieve this, but also to sustain and stabilize Hawaii's food supply and protect the open space and lifestyle that both residents and visitors value.

     Currently, Hawaii's agriculture and value-added product industry contributes $2,400,000,000 to the State's economy and employs more than thirty-eight thousand people.  During the past twenty years, the value of diversified agriculture in Hawaii has more than doubled, reaching a record $370,900,000 in farm-level revenues in 2002.

     The agriculture industry should continue to explore new opportunities as prime agricultural land becomes available.  At present, about one hundred thousand acres of former sugar cane and pineapple land--prime agricultural land--lie fallow.  Recent estimates suggest that if all this land could be put to productive use through successful agricultural ventures, an additional $1,700,000,000 to $4,400,000,000 could be infused into the State's economy.

     To take advantage of these opportunities, and to provide the necessary support for the overall transition of Hawaii's agriculture industry from plantation agriculture to diversified agriculture, more resources must be directed toward agricultural research and development.  Agricultural research is key to maintaining Hawaii's competitiveness in an agricultural market that is becoming increasingly global.

     The legislature believes that the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, the University of Hawaii college of tropical agriculture and human resources, the department of agriculture, and the United States Department of Agriculture Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center should work collaboratively to expand their agricultural research efforts.  These research organizations are critical to the State's efforts to strengthen and improve the agriculture industry, expand employment opportunities for residents, and revitalize the economy.

     The legislature further finds that the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation is a non-profit agricultural organization representing the interests of, and exemplifying a strong commitment to, the agriculture industry in Hawaii and can ensure that agricultural research and marketing meet the needs of local farmers and ranchers.  The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation has frequently partnered with institutions like the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, the University of Hawaii college of tropical agriculture and human resources, and the department of agriculture on many research and market development projects.  The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation has also worked with many other kinds of commodity organizations, including sugar, pineapple, papaya, macadamia, coffee, flower, fruit, vegetable, aquaculture, seed corn, forestry, and livestock organizations to formulate research needs for the entire agriculture industry.       Therefore, the legislature finds that the most logical organization to oversee and expend funding for agricultural research and market development in the state is the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation. 

     The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for a grant to the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation to conduct agricultural research and development.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008 and the sum of $1,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 for a grant, pursuant to the provisions of chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, for the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation to conduct agricultural research and development.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.