HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

505

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015

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 purpose of this Act is to improve food security and self-sufficiency in the State by:

     (1)  Establishing state planning and policy objectives for the increased production of locally grown foods and improved consumer access to locally grown foods;

     (2)  Encouraging the development and implementation of a comprehensive approach to agriculture in Hawaii; and

     (3)  Making various appropriations accordingly.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 141, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§141-    Agricultural development and food security program; establishment.  There is established within the department of agriculture an agricultural development and food security program that shall have the objectives described in section 226-6(a)."

     SECTION 3.  Section 226-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  Planning for the State's economy in general shall be directed toward achievement of the following objectives:

     (1)  Increased and diversified employment opportunities to achieve full employment, increased income and job choice, and improved living standards for Hawaii's people, while at the same time stimulating the development and expansion of economic activities capitalizing on defense, dual-use, and science and technology assets, particularly on the neighbor islands where employment opportunities may be limited.

     (2)  A steadily growing and diversified economic base that is not overly dependent on a few industries, and includes the development and expansion of industries on the neighbor islands.

     (3)  Increased demand for and access to locally grown foods by:

         (A)  Expanding local marketing campaigns to promote the benefits of buying locally grown foods;

         (B)  Expanding and improving branding and labeling programs and providing consumer education programs to help consumers identify local products at the time of purchase;

         (C)  Encouraging public institutions, including schools, to purchase locally grown foods; and

         (D)  Addressing food safety issues by expanding the farm food safety coaching program and number of farm food safety certifiers.

     (4)  Increased production of locally grown foods, to supplant mainland- or foreign-grown products by:

         (A)  Building the agricultural workforce, including workforce development services for the agricultural, energy, natural resources, and related industries;

         (B)  Supporting the agricultural park program, which provides public lands at reasonable cost and long-term tenure to farmers, and completing the transfer of agricultural lands from the department of land and natural resources to the department of agriculture;

         (C)  Supporting capital improvement project funding to repair and maintain state irrigation systems that provide water at low cost to farmers;

         (D)  Encouraging a variety of distribution systems to move goods to the marketplace;

         (E)  Supporting multi-functional food hub facilities or food incubator facilities to handle aggregation, processing, value adding, treatment, and distribution; and

         (F)  Improving agricultural infrastructure, including agricultural parks, irrigation systems, and distribution systems and facilities."

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the department of agriculture to establish an agricultural development and food security program pursuant to this Act.

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

     SECTION 5.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the department of agriculture to produce locally grown agricultural product promotional materials along with other endeavors, such as in-store promotions.

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

     SECTION 6.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the department of agriculture to expand and improve branding and labeling programs for locally grown foods.

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

     SECTION 7.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for publicity to promote farmers' markets.

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

     SECTION 8.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for a farm-to-school pilot program in charter schools of the State.

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

     SECTION 9.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 to develop good agricultural practices for school gardens.

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

     SECTION 10.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the establishment of specialists to certify farm food safety.

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

     SECTION 11.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 to develop regional agriculture infrastructure master plans.

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

     SECTION 12.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 to restore positions in food inspection, pest control, and biosecurity.

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

     SECTION 13.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 to restore positions in market research and agricultural statistics.

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

     SECTION 14.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 15.  This Act shall take effect on January 20, 2050.


 


 

Report Title:

Agriculture; Food Security; Appropriations

 

Description:

Establishes an Agricultural Development and Food Security Program.  Establishes state planning objectives to increase demand and access to locally grown foods.  Makes appropriations. (HB505 HD1)

 

 

 

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