SB3301

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the average farmer in Hawaii is sixty years old, and the State lacks a farming workforce large enough to expand cultivated agricultural lands and food production. A primary cause of the shortage of new farmers in Hawaii during the past several decades has been the lack of access to agriculture education, including the reduced training for agriculture teachers, which has resulted in disinterest among youth in pursuing agriculture or natural resource management.

The legislature further finds that to meet the State's aspirations for increased food security and self-sufficiency, the number of local farms and farmers and amount of food produced for local markets will need to increase significantly. Agriculture education is key to developing future farmers and a society that values and understands the vital role of agriculture, food, fiber, and natural resource systems in advancing personal, local, and global well-being. Over the past decade, a vibrant grassroots movement in support of agriculture education has emerged in Hawaii along with a marked increase in new farmer training programs and student involvement in FFA, formerly known as Future Farmers of America.

The legislature further finds that to encourage continued momentum for agriculture education, the senate passed Senate Resolution No. 80 (2015) requesting the university of Hawaii college of tropical agriculture and human resources to convene a working group to develop a coordinated framework of support for preschool through post-secondary agriculture education and a plan for implementation, including any proposed legislation, and report to the legislature prior to the Regular Sessions of 2017, 2018, and 2019.

The legislature further finds that for three years, the university of Hawaii college of tropical agriculture and human resources convened the agriculture education working group, which included governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders. The group's final report to the legislature in 2019 outlines the coordinated framework of support for agriculture education in Hawaii and recommends an agriculture education coordinator position be established. The legislature finds that the agriculture education coordinator's implementation of the framework recommended by the agriculture education working group will result in an increased number of:

(1) Students exposed to agriculture education at all grade levels in public, charter, and independent schools;

(2) Public school students entering and completing the career and technical education agriculture, food innovation, and natural resources career pathway;

(3) Students entering and completing higher education programs, apprenticeships, internships, and work-based learning programs in agriculture and food systems;

(4) Teachers trained in agriculture and food systems education; and

(5) Local food producers and other food systems professionals.

The coordinated framework will also help decrease the average age of farmers in the State and grow the educated agricultural workforce, increasing food security and self-sufficiency, sustainability, and resiliency for Hawaii.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to support a coordinated framework for agriculture education by appropriating funds for a full-time agriculture education coordinator position within the university of Hawaii at Manoa college of tropical agriculture and human resources.

SECTION 2. In accordance with section 9 of article VII of the Hawaii State Constitution and sections 37-91 and 37-93, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the legislature has determined that the appropriations contained in Act 164, Regular Session of 2023, and this Act will cause the state general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2024-2025 to be exceeded by $ or per cent. This current declaration takes into account general fund appropriations authorized for fiscal year 2024-2025 in Act 164, Regular Session of 2023, and this Act only. The reasons for exceeding the general fund expenditure ceiling are that:

(1) The appropriation made in this Act is necessary to serve the public interest; and

(2) The appropriation made in this Act meets the needs addressed by this Act.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $300,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the establishment of one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) agriculture education coordinator position within the university of Hawaii at Manoa college of tropical agriculture and human resources.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the university of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	3301
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII