REPORT TITLE:
Organic Produce; Marketing


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates matching funds for fiscal year 2000-2001 to assist
the Hawaii organic farmers association in developing local and
overseas markets for Hawaii grown organic produce.  (HB2789 HD2)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2789
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
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 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
 
20 sale of "certified organic" products.
 

 
Page 2                                                     2789
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

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

 
Page 3                                                     2789
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

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

 
Page 4                                                     2789
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 3.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
 2 department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.
 
 3      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.