REPORT TITLE:
Organic Produce; Marketing


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates $200,000 to the DOA for fiscal year 1999-2000 to
enable the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association to develop local
and overseas markets for Hawaii grown organic produce.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           488
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO 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, which is expected to occur
 
15 sometime during 1999, this value will increase, since in order to
 
16 market any product as "organic", only formal certification will
 
17 be recognized.
 
18      The purpose of this Act is to provide the people of Hawaii
 
19 with better access to Hawaii grown "certified organic" products
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           488
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 and to stimulate the State's economy through the production and
 
 2 sales of "certified organic" products.
 
 3      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 4 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $200,000, or so much
 
 5 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, to enable
 
 6 the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association to develop local and
 
 7 overseas markets for Hawaii grown organic produce.
 
 8      SECTION 3.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
 9 department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.
 
10      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
11 
 
12                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________