REPORT TITLE:
HI Ag. Research Ctr.; $


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds to Hawaii Agriculture Research Center.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                             
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           222
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                     
STATE OF HAWAII                                                 
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE HAWAII AGRICULTURE RESEARCH
   CENTER.



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

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that agriculture is one of
 
 2 the State's economic stabilizing industries, generating nearly
 
 3 $3,000,000,000 in sales per year.  In addition, agriculture
 
 4 supports the State's goal of providing open space, which is
 
 5 desired by residents and visitors alike.  The legislature also
 
 6 finds that Hawaii's agriculture industry is taking advantage of
 
 7 new economic opportunities that have arisen because of the
 
 8 downsizing of the sugar industry.  To maximize these
 
 9 opportunities for maintaining and expanding the agriculture
 
10 industry, and to take best advantage of the thousands of acres of
 
11 prime farm land that was formerly in sugarcane, production-driven
 
12 research is paramount.  Agricultural research creates the new
 
13 products necessary for a sustainable, economically viable
 
14 industry.
 
15      The legislature finds that the Hawaii Agriculture Research
 
16 Center (HARC) serves as a model of private-public partnership for
 
17 commodity specific agricultural research, with over fifty per
 
18 cent of its funding from the private sector.  Further, the
 
19 legislature finds that HARC effectively partners with the U.S.
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           222
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, Animal
 
 2 and Plant Health Inspection Service, and National Wildlife
 
 3 Research Center, as well as the University of Hawaii's college of
 
 4 tropical agriculture and human resources, on facilitating
 
 5 agricultural technology transfer and in maximizing the use of
 
 6 limited community resources.
 
 7      The legislature also finds that HARC directs its research
 
 8 primarily to crops that contribute financial support for their
 
 9 research needs.  HARC develops programs to increase commercial
 
10 production through crop improvement programs focusing on
 
11 producing new products through traditional and modern genetic
 
12 engineering, and improving cultural practices.  Agricultural
 
13 research at HARC will continue to be a key resource in the
 
14 State's efforts to strengthen and improve the agriculture
 
15 industry, revitalize the economy, and maintain and create
 
16 employment opportunities for residents, especially in rural
 
17 areas.
 
18      The purpose of this Act is to provide the necessary funds to
 
19 assist in maintaining current minimum levels of agricultural
 
20 research at the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center.
 
21      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
22 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,000,000, or so much
 
23 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, and the
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           222
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
 
 2 2000-2001, for agricultural research and development performed by
 
 3 the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center; provided that no funds
 
 4 shall be made available under this Act for agricultural research
 
 5 by agricultural commodities with annual statewide sales of
 
 6 $20,000,000 or more, based on the most recent statistics
 
 7 available from the department of agriculture, unless the private
 
 8 sector matches those funds dollar-for-dollar; and provided
 
 9 further that no funds shall be made available under this Act for
 
10 agricultural research for other agricultural commodities unless
 
11 the private sector matches those funds on the basis of $1 of
 
12 private funds for every $3 of state funds, except that up to
 
13 $250,000 each year may be released unmatched for agricultural
 
14 research and development in agricultural commodities other than
 
15 sugarcane.
 
16      SECTION 3.  The sums appropriated shall be expended by the
 
17 department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.
 
18      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
19 
 
20                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________