Bill Text: HI SCR71 | 2011 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Agribusiness Development Corporation; Working Group

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-04-14 - (H) Referred to AGR/ERB, FIN, referral sheet 57 [SCR71 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2011-SCR71-Amended.html

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THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	71
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE CONVENING OF A WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE CORPORATION'S EFFICIENCY AND PROGRAMS TO BETTER ADDRESS CURRENT AND FUTURE AGRICULTURAL ISSUES.

 

 

     WHEREAS, the Agribusiness Development Corporation was established by the Legislature in 1994 to facilitate the transition of Hawaii's agriculture industry base from sugar and pineapple plantations to a diversity of crops; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Agribusiness Development Corporation is administratively attached to the Department of Agriculture and  bridges the void between the public and private sectors to address complex agricultural issues; and

 

     WHEREAS, the mission of the Agribusiness Development Corporation is to partner with farmers, ranchers, and aquaculture groups to acquire and manage high-value lands, water systems and infrastructure for commercial agricultural use, and to direct research into areas that will lead to the development of new crops, markets, and lower production costs; and

 

     WHEREAS, since the inception of the Agribusiness Development Corporation, Hawaii's agriculture industry has evolved tremendously and new agribusiness operations and other industries have recently been established on former plantation lands; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Agribusiness Development Corporation has the ability to streamline the process of government to address critical bottlenecks in various agricultural projects; and

 

     WHEREAS, there is a need to review and assess the performance of the Agribusiness Development Corporation and whether it is meeting the present and future needs of the agricultural industry; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Agriculture is requested to convene a working group to review the duties and responsibilities of the Agribusiness Development Corporation and make recommendations regarding the Agribusiness Development Corporation's programs and budget priorities; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group consist of:

 

     (1)  The Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, or the Chairperson's designee, who shall serve as the Chair;

 

     (2)  The Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, or the Director's designee;

 

     (3)  The Dean of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, or the Dean's designee;

 

     (4)  The Executive Director of the Hawaii Community Development Authority, or the Executive Director's designee;

 

     (5)  The Executive Director of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, or the Executive Director's designee;

 

     (6)  One member who has experience in marketing of agricultural products;

 

     (7)  One member who has experience in agricultural loans and financing;

 

     (8)  One member who has experience in the transportation of agricultural products;

 

     (9)  One member who has experience in agricultural processing facilities;

 

    (10)  One member who has experience in development and management of water irrigation systems; and

 

    (11)  One member who has experience in agricultural land planning, development, and management; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group is requested to review and assess the duties, responsibilities, and performance of the Agribusiness Development Corporation; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group address and recommend improvements to programs that would increase and enhance the efficiency of the Agribusiness Development Corporation in addressing current and future agricultural issues; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Agriculture is requested to report the working group's findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2012; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to assist the working group with drafting legislation, if any, that the working group deems necessary; provided that the working group submits a draft of its proposals to the Legislative Reference Bureau no later than November 1, 2011; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Agribusiness Development Corporation, Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Dean of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Executive Director of the Hawaii Community Development Authority, and Executive Director of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.

Report Title: 

Agribusiness Development Corporation; Working Group