HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	206
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

requesting the department of agriculture and the department of land and natural resources to assist in the perpetuation of agricultural activities on the ewa plains.

     WHEREAS, since its earliest days, Hawaii's economic roots have been steeped in agriculture; and

     WHEREAS, over the years, Hawaii's flourishing agricultural industry has provided thousands of jobs, millions of dollars in revenue, and the unique identification of Hawaii as the source of such commodities as pineapples, macadamia nuts, and sugar cane; and

     WHEREAS, the decline of some of these "legacy" plantation crops have given rise to a new breed of farms and a more diversified range of agricultural products that continue the time-honored tradition of farming and agricultural export; and

     WHEREAS, these newer crops, being more numerous and varied, are also helping to decrease Hawaii's dependence upon imported foods; and

     WHEREAS, unlike the large plantations of the past, many of today's farms operate on leased land rather than land owned by the farm operator, subjecting farmers to the will of the landowners; and

     WHEREAS, the plans of landowners may adversely affect the ability of farms to stay in business; and

     WHEREAS, there currently exist several farming operations that lease land from landowner D.R. Horton on the Ewa plains; and

     WHEREAS, D.R. Horton has recently announced a planned housing development that will require the relocation of some of these farms; and

     WHEREAS, it is in Hawaii's best interest to facilitate the growth and perpetuation of these farms; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, that the Department of Agriculture is requested to facilitate the relocation of farms in the Ewa plains currently on land leased by D.R. Horton and expected to be displaced by residential development; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested to examine the feasibility of conducting a land exchange for the D.R. Horton parcel between Farrington Highway and the H-1 Freeway on which a farm baseyard currently exists; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that should the Department of Land and Natural Resources deem the exchange feasible, that it initiate that exchange; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, and the Chief Executive Officer of D.R. Horton.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Department of Agriculture; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Ewa Plains