Bill Text: HI HB502 | 2014 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Department of Agriculture; Local Food Production; Request for Proposals; Food Sufficiency Baseline; Appropriation ($)
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2014-03-14 - Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. [HB502 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2014-HB502-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
502 |
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TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
S.D. 1 |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO FOOD SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. In an October 2012 report titled "Increased Food Security and Food Self-Sufficiency Strategy," the office of planning and the department of business, economic development, and tourism recommended that food security and food self-sufficiency become a priority for the State's economic and agricultural policies. The legislature finds that eighty-five to ninety per cent of Hawaii's food is imported. Ninety per cent of the beef, sixty-seven per cent of the fresh vegetables, sixty-five per cent of the fresh fruits, and eighty per cent of all milk purchased in the State are imported. If a natural disaster prevents the importation of food, there would only be a ten day supply of food on the islands.
The legislature finds that each food product imported to Hawaii is a lost opportunity for local economic growth. Replacing ten per cent of current food imports will create a total of two thousand three hundred jobs and keep hundreds of millions of dollars within the State's economy.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to promote food self-sufficiency by appropriating funds to the department of agriculture to monitor local food production, in accordance with the department's statutory duty to increase agricultural self-sufficiency, and authorizing the department of agriculture to issue a request for proposals for the establishment of a food sufficiency baseline.
SECTION 2. For purposes of this Act, "food" means all edible agriculture products intended for human consumption; provided that food shall not include:
(1) Feed consumed by animals other than pets;
(2) Live animals unless they are intended to be placed on the market for human consumption;
(3) Plants prior to harvesting; and
(4) Crops used for bio-engineering, testing, or research.
SECTION 3. The department of agriculture shall establish full-time equivalent (FTE) local food production monitor positions to monitor local food production in accordance with the department's statutory duty to administer a program of agricultural planning and development that includes actions to increase agricultural self-sufficiency.
SECTION 4. Pursuant to chapter 103D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the department of agriculture may issue a request for proposals to contract for a report with findings on the establishment of a food sufficiency baseline that determines the percentage of food that currently is consumed and produced in the State. This baseline is intended to enable the State to set goals and move towards greater food self-sufficiency.
The entity awarded the contract, in conjunction with the department of agriculture, shall submit the report of its findings to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2015.
SECTION 5. 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 2014-2015 to establish positions within the department of agriculture to monitor local food production.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.
Report Title:
Department of Agriculture; Local Food Production; Request for Proposals; Food Sufficiency Baseline; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates funds to the DOA to create positions within the department to monitor local food production. Authorizes the issuance of an RFP for the establishment of a food sufficiency baseline that determines the percentage of food locally produced and consumed. Effective July 1, 2050. (SD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
