Report Title:

Agriculture; Food Innovation and Security Center; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds to the college of tropical agriculture and human resources to develop a long range plan for a food innovation and security center for the development and promotion of safe, high-quality, and high-value agricultural products.  (SD1)

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	835
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

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

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that Hawaii must diversify its economic base beyond reliance to tourism.  A revived state agriculture industry holds a promise of not only diversifying Hawaii's economy, but also improving the food security of our isolated islands and preserving the green space and lifestyle that Hawaii's citizens and visitors value.

     Hawaii's agriculture and value-added products contribute $2,400,000,000 to the State's economy and employ more than thirty-eight thousand people.  During the past twenty years, diversified agriculture in Hawaii has more than doubled.  The prime agricultural lands released from sugar and pineapple production present a rare window of opportunity to further agricultural development and address the food security needs of the State.

     The legislature further finds that in order for Hawaii's agriculture to take advantage of this opportunity, it must produce safe, high-quality, and market-driven products that offset Hawaii's high costs of land, labor, water, and transportation.  Hawaii's food and agricultural producers and processors must produce foods that are safe and nutritious by following established good agricultural practices (GAP) and being GAP certified.  There is also a need for assistance in developing value-added processed foods that would assist entrepreneurs to develop new products that use Hawaii grown produce.  There is a need for a local facility to provide assistance for sensory evaluations of foods as well as appropriate packaging and marketing advice.  Thus, a food innovation and security center is necessary to help address the food safety and security needs of Hawaii.

     The University of Hawaii college of tropical agriculture and human resources is engaged in several areas of research and outreach that have already contributed to the resurgence of agriculture in Hawaii.  The college's contributions to the State's agricultural industry include:

     (1)  Identification and development of high-value food, plant, and fiber products to help Hawaii stay competitive in a global market; and

     (2)  Creation of an agribusiness incubator that helps start agribusinesses and assists existing agribusinesses to expand.

     The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii to enable the college of tropical agriculture and human resources to develop a long range plan for a food innovation and security center for the development and promotion of new, safe, high-quality, high-value agricultural products.

     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 2007-2008, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009, for the college of tropical agriculture and human resources to develop a long range plan for a food innovation and security center.

     The sums 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, 2007.