Hawaii-2012-HR27-Introduced

WHEREAS, food self-sufficiency is one of the critical components of a sustainable community; and

WHEREAS, the development of a vibrant and expansive agricultural industry is a major step forward in protecting Hawaii's food security and self-sustainability; and

WHEREAS, as the most geographically isolated state in the country, Hawaii, the "island state", is dangerously dependent on imports for its basic food needs, since approximately 85 percent of this need is supplied through imported agricultural products, which is economically unsustainable and makes Hawaii's food supply vulnerable to disruptions that might occur around the world; and

WHEREAS, if a disruption were to occur that halts the importation of food products, it has been estimated that Hawaii has less than five days worth of food supplies on store shelves and in local warehouses; and

WHEREAS, while a key tenet of a strong economy is diversification, since a diversified economy absorbs the impacts from the cycles associated with any particular industry, Hawaii's economic base has often been criticized for being too dependent on the single industry of tourism; and

WHEREAS, although tourism continues to be Hawaii's largest industry, concerns have been raised that local capacity constraints as well as increased competition from emerging destinations worldwide will affect the potential for further growth in the tourism industry, and calls for economic diversification have been renewed; and

WHEREAS, while there has been a demise in large plantation agriculture in Hawaii, the agricultural industry continues to play an important role in the state's economy with average agricultural sales per year in Hawaii amounting to over $300,000,000, and continued support of this industry will not only promote Hawaii's food security and sustainability but also encourage economic growth and maintain economic stability; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii’s mild, year-round climate supports a fertile land that sustains over one million acres of farmland that in turn generates many different types of agricultural products, including various types of livestock, such as cattle, chickens, and hogs; supports a variety of crop agriculture, such as sugarcane, pineapple, macadamia nuts, coffee, cacao, ginger, banana, onions, sweet potato, lettuce, melons, numerous other vegetables, various flora, and seed crops; and supports the production of milk, eggs, honey, and chocolate, to name a few of the made-in-Hawaii products; and

WHEREAS, while the quest to achieve 100 percent food self-sufficiency for Hawaii is admirable, the economic reality is that this goal is probably unattainable and that Hawaii will continue to import a large majority of its food supply; and

WHEREAS, although the goal of an entirely food self-sufficient and sustainable community may not be practical, supporting, purchasing, and continuing to produce locally grown foods has several benefits, including keeping money flowing through the local community and helping local family farmers, food producers, and their families and employees; and

WHEREAS, buying locally-produced agricultural products and supporting the growth of the agricultural industry also plays a role in protecting Hawaii's natural environment by reducing the amount of energy used in transporting foods to Hawaii, thus reducing Hawaii's carbon footprint as well as preserving open space for agricultural use; and

WHEREAS, in a time of economic distress for our State, the support of Hawaii-grown products will help keep critical dollars within the State for the benefit of Hawaii; strengthen the State's communities; and provide a boost to local business, which in turn will help the state and local governments through increased revenue streams; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2012, that this body declares each Sunday to be "Eat Local, Buy Local" Day in Hawaii and encourages families, restaurants, and grocers to buy Hawaii-grown foods, flowers, and produce because supporting Hawaii-grown food products will result in higher food quality, improved food safety and security, and provide economic benefits to Hawaii's communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Mayor of each county, Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, Interim Dean and Director of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources of the University of Hawaii, Executive Director of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, President of the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, and Chairperson of the Hawaii Food Industry Association.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Declaring Sundays to be "Eat Local, Buy Local" Day in Hawaii and Encouraging Families, Restaurants, and Grocers to Buy Hawaii-Grown Foods, Flowers, and Produce.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	27
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012
STATE OF HAWAII