WHEREAS, the Agribusiness Development Corporation was established to make optimum use of the State's agricultural assets, including large tracts of land abandoned by the sugar and pineapple industries, and develop an aggressive and dynamic agricultural development program; and

WHEREAS, section 163D-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, provides, in part, that the Agribusiness Development Corporation is "to carry on the marketing analysis to direct agricultural industry evolution, and to provide the leadership for the development, financing, improvement, or enhancement of agricultural enterprises"; and

WHEREAS, it was once projected that the central plains of Molokai, formerly covered by large tracts of pineapple acreage, had the potential to be the bread basket of the State, producing enough fresh produce to feed the entire State, thereby negating the need to import fresh produce; and

WHEREAS, the central plains of Molokai are serviced by the Molokai irrigation system, operated and maintained by the Department of Agriculture; and

WHEREAS, a very predominant portion of all farming activities on the Molokai central plains is undertaken by native Hawaiian homesteaders and farmers on Department of Hawaiian Home Lands property; and

WHEREAS, the primary charge of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is the betterment of native Hawaiians and Hawaiians; and

WHEREAS, a part of the duties and responsibilities of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, as set forth in section 10-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is to provide grants and make available technical and financial assistance and advisory services for individuals, agencies, and private organizations for native Hawaiian and Hawaiian programs; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, that the Agribusiness Development Corporation is requested to coordinate the efforts of the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to assist the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands homesteaders and farmers on Molokai to diversify, increase, and promote their agricultural products; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Agribusiness Development Corporation is requested to work with the Department of Agriculture to ensure that the Molokai irrigation system is in optimum operating condition and providing sufficient irrigation water to meet the requirements of the Molokai homesteaders and farmers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Agribusiness Development Corporation is requested to work with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to make available additional arable lands in Molokai with sufficient irrigation water for native Hawaiian homesteaders and farmers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Agribusiness Development Corporation is requested to work with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to jointly establish programs that include grants and financial aid, technical assistance, and advisory services to assist the Molokai homesteaders and farmers to diversify, increase, and promote their agricultural products; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Directors and the Executive Director of the Agribusiness Development Corporation, the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission,

and the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Report Title:

Agribusiness Development Corporation