REPORT TITLE:
Organic Produce; Marketing


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates matching funds for fiscal year 2000-2001 to enable
the Hawaii organic farmers association to develop local and
overseas markets for Hawaii grown organic produce.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2789
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR HAWAIIAN ORGANIC AGRICULTURE.



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

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that organic agriculture
 
 2 supports the principles of natural laws governing our planet
 
 3 through the actions of humankind.  The process of national
 
 4 agreement on standards for "certified organic", currently in
 
 5 progress, includes the prohibition of genetically engineered
 
 6 organisms, irradiation as a post-harvest treatment, and the use
 
 7 of sewage sludge as a soil amendment.  Organic agriculture
 
 8 provides a choice for consumers and producers who do not support
 
 9 these three practices.
 
10      The State's organic industry value in gross sales in 1996
 
11 was $6,000,000 to $8,000,000, or roughly the equivalent of
 
12 Hawaii's hog industry.  At the national level, gross sales of
 
13 "certified organic" products reached $3,500,000,000 in 1996.
 
14 Once national standards are passed, this value will increase,
 
15 since in order to market any product as "organic", only formal
 
16 certification will be recognized.
 
17      The purpose of this Act is to provide the people of Hawaii
 
18 with better access to Hawaii grown "certified organic" products
 
19 and to stimulate the State's economy through the production and
 

 
Page 2                                                     2789
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 sale of "certified organic" products.
 
 2      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 3 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $80,000, or so much
 
 4 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000-2001, to assist
 
 5 the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association to:
 
 6      (1)  Develop educational materials for producers,
 
 7           consumers, and retailers on:
 
 8           (A)  The value of purchasing certified organic
 
 9                products;
 
10           (B)  How to become certified;
 
11           (C)  Updates for producers on the status of
 
12                the federal standards and allowable
 
13                inputs; and
 
14           (D)  Guidelines for retailers wanting to
 
15                support the integrity of certified
 
16                organic agriculture........................$20,000
 
17      (2)  Hold seminars at the county level in
 
18           conjunction with other industry groups to:
 
19           (A)  Introduce culinary professionals and
 
20                retailers to locally produced certified
 
21                organic products; and
 
22           (B)  Educate agricultural commodity
 

 
 
 
Page 3                                                     2789
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1                producers on organic certification
 
 2                requirements...............................$ 5,000
 
 3      (3)  Disseminate copies of a high-quality video
 
 4           on Hawaiian organic agriculture that
 
 5           highlights the types of crops available and
 
 6           appropriate practices...........................$ 5,000
 
 7      (4)  Develop market materials for certified
 
 8           organic farmers including a sticker, stamp,
 
 9           and shelf talkers...............................$10,000
 
10      (5)  Develop a database of Hawaiian certified
 
11           farms to assist in developing cooperative
 
12           marketing.......................................$20,000
 
13      (6)  Provide assistance for federal accreditation
 
14           under the ISO Guide as administered by the
 
15           United States' Department of Agriculture's
 
16           livestock grading and seed certification
 
17           programs to allow national and international
 
18           acceptance of state-based certification
 
19           programs that comply with the federal
 
20           guidelines established under the Organic
 
21           Food Production Act and the National
 
22           Organic Program.................................$20,000
 

 
 
 
Page 4                                                     2789
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1                Total......................................$80,000
 
 2 provided that the sum appropriated shall be matched dollar-for-
 
 3 dollar by the private sector.
 
 4      SECTION 3.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
 5 department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.
 
 6      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.
 
 7 
 
 8                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________