HCR206 HD1.DOC

WHEREAS, agricultural tourism, including farmer labor and educational exchanges, is an industry with growing nationwide appeal and is ideal in Hawaii because of the unique farms and agriculturally-based operations in the State; and

WHEREAS, currently, farmers and cattlemen are required to abide by county laws and ordinances relating to the construction of buildings or structures that do not allow commercial activities such as agricultural tourism on certain lands; and

WHEREAS, these regulations hinder farmers and cattlemen who want to provide agricultural tourism related activities; and

WHEREAS, encouraging agricultural tourism in the State could potentially attract more visitors and thereby increase revenue for businesses in the State and generate additional tax revenue; and

WHEREAS, the establishment of an agricultural tourism task force to examine the obstacles to agricultural tourism would allow the State to determine the impact of these policies and the feasibility of eliminating them; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2013, the Senate concurring, that the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture is requested to convene an Agricultural Tourism Task Force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Agricultural Tourism Task Force is requested to examine the feasibility of authorizing agricultural tourism activities on agricultural lands and exempting farmers and cattlemen from county laws relating to the construction of buildings or structures that are used for agricultural tourism activities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Agricultural Tourism Task Force consider authorizing and exempting only farmers and cattlemen who have operated an agricultural business and paid general excise taxes for at least five consecutive years; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following individuals, or their designees, are requested to serve as members of the Agricultural Tourism Task Force:

(1) The Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, who shall serve as the chairperson of the task force;

(2) The Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism;

(3) The Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission;

(4) The Executive Director of Economic Development of the City and County of Honolulu;

(5) The Director of Finance of the County of Hawaii;

(6) The Director of Economic Development of the County of Kauai; and

(7) The Coordinator of Economic Development of the County of Maui; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture is requested to invite representatives, or their designees, from the following stakeholders to participate as members of the Agricultural Tourism Task Force:

(1) The President of the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council;

(2) The Executive Director of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation;

(3) The President of Hawaii Farmers Union United;

(4) The President of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii;

(5) The President of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau;

(6) The President of the Hawaii Agritourism Association;

(7) One farmer from the general public;

(8) One cattleman from the general public; and

(9) Any other person that the Chairperson of the Task Force deems advisable for inclusion of the Task Force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Agricultural Tourism Task Force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2014; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture who is requested in turn to transmit copies to those requested to serve as members of the Agricultural Tourism Task Force.

Report Title:

Agricultural Tourism Task Force; Feasibility Study

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	206
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII