SCR37

WHEREAS, there are historic and recent threats to the future of agriculture in Hawaii, including the loss of sugar and pineapple plantations and dairy farms, rising energy and feed costs, the volatility of commodity markets, mainland and global competition, and climate change, especially for diversified and specialty niche farms including organic farm operations; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii spends roughly $3,000,000,000 on importing eighty-five to ninety percent of its food annually; and

WHEREAS, increasing agricultural economic development in Hawaii will address some of the threats that are affecting the agriculture sector in the State; and

WHEREAS, recognizing that the agricultural sector is an important part of Hawaii's economy and that it is imperative to create more jobs in the food and farm economy; and

WHEREAS, improving access to healthy local foods will not only benefit the State financially but will also benefit the residents of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, biosecurity plays an important role in the food and farm sectors and that improving biosecurity is a priority of the State; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture should work toward strengthening collaboration and links among producers, processors, and markets; and

WHEREAS, recognizing that the future of agriculture in Hawaii is being jeopardized by a variety of factors and that the importance of improving the food and farm sector in Hawaii is paramount to economic development of the State; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2018, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, and members of the agricultural industry, is requested to establish the agricultural 2030 investment program to increase agricultural economic development through strategic planning and the creation of programs such as a state farm to plate program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the program goals of the agricultural 2030 investment program aim to:

(1) Increase economic development in Hawaii's food and farm sector;

(2) Create jobs in the food and farm economy;

(3) Improve access to healthy local foods; and

(4) Improve biosecurity; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in order to accomplish the goals of the agricultural 2030 investment program, the Department of Agriculture is requested to:

(1) Create an advisory panel with representatives for the agricultural and business communities;

(2) Hire or assign staff, or enter into contracts with the University of Hawaii for various tasks such as the collection of data;

(3) Seek and accept funds from private and public entities; and

(4) Utilize technical assistance, loans, grants, or other means to advance the goals of the program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Agriculture is further requested to establish a farm to plate program to ensure access to local and healthy food in the State and shall seek grant funding to support farm to plate direct marketing, including marketing of farmers' markets, community supported agriculture operations, and regional community food hubs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Agriculture submit an annual report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2019 regarding their strategic plan on the establishment of the agricultural 2030 investment program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture and Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Department of Agriculture; Agriculture 2030 Investment Program; Farm to Plate Program

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	37
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018
STATE OF HAWAII