HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	174
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

Requesting the department of agriculture to examine existing laws related to the sugar and pineapple industries and determine whether updates should be made for the utilization of diversified crops.

WHEREAS, the downsizing of the sugar and pineapple industries presented an unprecedented opportunity for the conversion of agriculture into a dynamic growth industry; and

WHEREAS, the State is able to use public agricultural lands to enhance the local economy, provide employment opportunities, decrease reliance on imported agricultural products, and provide more sources of locally grown food for residents; and

WHEREAS, a valuable inventory of supporting infrastructure including irrigation systems, roads, drainage systems, processing facilities, workshops, and warehouses that are still largely underutilized was left vacant by the downsizing of the sugar and pineapple industries; and

WHEREAS, the Agribusiness Development Corporation was established in 1994 to facilitate and provide direction for the transition of Hawaii's agriculture industry from a dominance of sugar and pineapple to one composed of a diversity of different crops; and

WHEREAS, the Agribusiness Development Corporation is tasked with coordinating and administering programs to assist agricultural enterprises to facilitate the transition of agricultural infrastructure from plantation operations into other agricultural enterprises, increasing local production of agricultural products for local consumption, reducing the State's reliance on imported agricultural products, and increasing access to farmland and related infrastructure for small local farmers and cooperatives; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2023, that the Department of Agriculture is requested to examine existing laws related to the sugar and pineapple industries and determine whether updates should be made for the utilization of diversified crops; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Agriculture is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2024; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture and Executive Director of the Agribusiness Development Corporation.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Agriculture; Diversified Crops