HB3309 HD1

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	3309
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the state has a responsibility to conserve and protect agricultural lands, promote diversified agriculture, increase agricultural self-sufficiency, and ensure the availability of agriculturally suitable lands that is mandated by article XI, section 3, of the state constitution.

The legislature passed Act 183, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, which provided a framework to designate important agricultural lands after appropriate incentives are established. This process may take several more years. Meanwhile, many agricultural lands that would be considered important agricultural lands are currently available for sale, including land in the Kunia area on Oahu.

Agricultural lands of Oahu, which has the highest population in the state, are under extreme development pressure. Thousands of agricultural acres in the Ewa plain are already converted or destined to be converted to urban needs. However, residents of Ewa and central Oahu have indicated in their sustainable community plans their desire to maintain an agricultural area.

There is an area of approximately 8,000 contiguous acres of valuable Hawaii farmland in the Ewa, central Oahu area being purchased by companies which will provide for a diverse mix of farming operations accommodating large and small operations. Most importantly, the land owner has indicated a willingness to contribute to the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center approximately 119 acres of land and improvements, including agricultural worker housing and existing facilities for agricultural offices and agribusinesses.

The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii and the Landscape Industry Council of Hawaii are interested in co-locating their operations at this site to share business-related resource needs. The University of Hawaii college of tropical agriculture and human resources is also interested in using this site for its agricultural business incubator, its Poamoho field station, and some of its extension service office needs.

Various agribusinesses have also expressed an interest in having long term leases and locating and expanding their businesses at this location.

There is presently a rare opportunity to develop an agricultural business complex where existing agriculturally-based businesses can develop further, while new agricultural businesses can be incubated and provided the support to develop.

Entrepreneurs would be encouraged to build agricultural businesses if an agribusiness incubator is located near their property to provide needed assistance and to identify, test, and develop new agribusiness products.

The development of new agricultural businesses, supporting infrastructure, and resulting agricultural products would increase agricultural employment to support the existing agricultural rental housing already located within this area.

The legislature finds that the synergies provided by the abovementioned programs of the University o f Hawaii college of tropical agriculture and human resources co-locating at the Kunia site will further the State's goals of promoting diversified agriculture and increased agricultural self-sufficiency.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 to cover expenses incurred by the University of Hawaii college of tropical agriculture and human resources to move the agribusiness incubator and Poamoho station projects and personnel to the Kunia site.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.