SB3197 HD1

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that new and aspiring farmers face a myriad of challenges, including acquiring adequate production and business knowledge and skills and accessing the tools necessary to evaluate their resources and develop feasible farming and business plans. The legislature finds that it is necessary to support beginning farmers in the State; however, the State lacks qualified farming method teachers and funding for beginning farmer training. Furthermore, although the United States Department of Agriculture provides funding for beginning farmers, this funding is limited and unreliable. The legislature believes that a farmer apprentice mentoring program could increase farming in the State, ensure the continued use of well‑developed farming methods, and provide for the cultivation of new farming methods.

The legislature believes that the future of the State's farming industry, food supply, and agriculture is reliant upon increasing and diversifying the number of new farmers in the State; introducing regenerative farming methods into the State; enhancing the long-term viability of farm businesses; utilizing and building upon existing beginning farmer training methods; providing opportunities for potential farmers who are socially or financially disadvantaged; and increasing support for beginning farmers who already own or manage a farm and have farmed for five years or less.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish the farmer apprentice mentoring program, to be administered by the department of agriculture.

SECTION 2. Chapter 141, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§141- Farmer apprentice mentoring program; established. (a) There is established the farmer apprentice mentoring program, to be administered by the department of agriculture, to support farmer mentors in training apprentices on methods for improving soil health by using a whole farm system approach.

(b) The department of agriculture shall:

(1) Collaborate with, consult with, and provide funding and information to qualified farmer mentorship providers to fund apprenticeships for bona fide Hawaii farmers;

(2) Implement strategies to increase the number of new farmers in the State, with a focus on recruiting low-income persons, disabled persons, and military veterans;

(3) Assist qualified farmer mentorship providers seeking federal and county funding to expand their training and mentorship offerings;

(4) Evaluate and report to the legislature on the effectiveness of the farmer apprentice mentoring program;

(5) Subject to the availability of funding, allocate funding to as many qualified farmer mentorship providers as is practical to achieve the purposes of the farmer apprentice mentoring program; and

(6) Retain records of all activities and costs related to the implementation of the farmer apprentice mentoring program.

(c) A farmer apprentice shall be eligible for training under the farmer apprentice mentoring program for a maximum of one year; provided that the farmer apprentice:

(1) Qualifies for Hawaii resident tuition or provides proof that the farmer apprentice has been farming for five years or less; and

(2) Demonstrates an interest in pursuing a career in Hawaii's agricultural industry.

(d) Subject to the availability of funding, the department of agriculture may enter into contracts with qualified farmer mentorship providers on a first-come, first-served basis, and in accordance with section 103D-304, to effectuate the purposes of this section; provided that:

(1) No farmer mentorship provider shall receive more than $ per year in apprenticeship stipends;

(2) Funding under this section shall cover $ per farmer apprentice per year and constitute up to a maximum of fifty per cent of total farmer apprentice wages for that given year;

(3) The term of any apprenticeship contract shall not exceed one year;

(4) A qualified farmer mentorship provider shall not receive more than $ in the aggregate during any five-year period for services procured pursuant to this section; and

(5) Any requests for proposals submitted by farmer mentorship providers pursuant to this section shall include:

(A) The qualifications of the farmer mentorship provider;

(B) The types and quantities of training and mentoring services offered, including the number of hours of hands-on instruction;

(D) The total estimated cost of the farmer mentorship provider's services to the department of agriculture;

(E) The proposed dates of training and mentoring; and

(F) A summary of any previous funding received pursuant to this section.

(e) Farmer mentorship services procured pursuant to subsection (d) may include the following topics:

(1) The proper methods of:

(A) Improving soil health by using a whole farm system approach;

(B) Planting, tending, cultivating, and harvesting various types of crops; and

(2) Agricultural business operations, including workforce issues, regulatory compliance, and general operations; and

(3) Analysis of the agricultural industry and related markets.

(f) A qualified farmer mentorship provider that provides services pursuant to this section shall make all relevant training and mentoring materials, sites, and facilities available for inspection and examination by the department of agriculture during regular business hours.

(g) The department of agriculture shall submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session. The report shall include, at a minimum:

(1) The number of farmer apprentices enrolled in the farmer apprentice mentoring program during the preceding year;

(2) A listing of all qualified farmer mentorship providers;

(3) An assessment of the ability of farmer mentorship providers participating in the program to complete program objectives and work tasks identified by the department of agriculture; and

(4) An evaluation of the results achieved by the farmer apprentice mentoring program, to be written, to the extent possible, in measurable and quantifiable terms."

SECTION 3. 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 2022-2023 to establish and implement the farmer apprentice mentoring program pursuant to section 2 of this Act to provide mentoring to farmer apprentices on a whole farm system approach to agriculture.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2050.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	3197
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022		S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 1