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THE SENATE |
S.C.R. NO. |
90 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
URGING THE OFFICE OF PLANNING TO UPDATE THE HAWAII STATE PLANNING ACT'S ECONOMIC OBJECTIVES FOR AGRICULTURE.
WHEREAS, the Hawaii State Planning Act was signed into law in 1978 to "improve the planning process in this [S]tate, to increase the effectiveness of government and private actions, to improve coordination among different agencies and levels of government, to provide for wise use of Hawaii's resources and to guide the future development of the [S]tate"; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Planning's role under the Hawaii State Planning Act is to provide technical assistance in administering the Act and to contract with public and private agencies and persons for special research and planning assistance; and
WHEREAS, the current Hawaii State Planning Act economic objectives for agriculture list Hawaii's sugar and pineapple industries as top priorities; and
WHEREAS, the sugar and pineapple industries have played an important role in Hawaiian agriculture for over a century; and
WHEREAS, sugar and pineapple farming has greatly declined in Hawaii over the past several decades; and
WHEREAS, the vast amount of Maui lands dedicated to sugar production ceased operations in 2016; and
WHEREAS, pineapple exportation has significantly decreased in Hawaii, and the industry now focuses on the smaller tourism market; and
WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii has declared sustainability and food security as a top priority; and
WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii has a goal to double food production in Hawaii by 2020; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2017, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Office of Planning is urged to study and update the Hawaii State Planning Act's economic objectives and policies for agriculture; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of Planning is requested to work with the Department of Agriculture to realign the Hawaii State Planning Act's agricultural priorities in accordance with a long-term vision that includes consideration of sustainable agriculture and self-sufficiency in Hawaii and other potential vision elements; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of Planning is requested to submit a long-term vision statement and an updated priority list of state economic objectives and policies for agriculture to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2018; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Office of Planning; Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture; Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; President of the Hawaii Farm Bureau; and President of Hawaii Farmers Union United.
Urging the Office of Planning to update the Hawaii State Planning Act's Economic Objectives for agriculture.