Bill Text: HI HB211 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Agriculture; Affordable Taro Lands

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-12-01 - Carried over to 2012 Regular Session. [HB211 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-HB211-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	211
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to taro lands.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  Kalo (colocasia esculenta), the Hawaiian word for taro, is a culturally significant plant to the kanaka maoli, Hawaii's indigenous peoples, and to the State.  In 2008, the legislature recognized kalo's role in the State's history and well being by designating kalo as the state plant.

     In 2008, the legislature also passed Act 211, which created the taro security and purity task force that directed the taro farmers, department of agriculture, department of land and natural resources, University of Hawaii, Hawaii farm bureau federation, and Onipa‘a Na Hui kalo representatives to seek solutions to challenges facing taro, taro farmers, and taro markets for a period of two years.  The task force was funded and administered by the office of Hawaiian affairs from 2008 to 2010.  This enabled the task force to meet consistently and gather input from taro growing communities on all islands and develop recommendations to improve taro farmer conditions.  The 2010 legislative report entitled:  E ola hou ke kalo; ho‘i hou ka ‘aina le‘ia, the taro lives; abundance returns to the land, outlines the work of the taro task force and subsequent recommendations.

     Currently, the State imports an estimated 1,800,000 pounds of taro annually.  The taro security and purity task force found "no logical reason why we should continue to import any kind of taro to meet local needs."  The problems articulated by taro farmers are multi-faceted:  the key to expanding the capacity for taro self-sufficiency in Hawaii is access and affordability of taro lands.

     The task force found that the State retains numerous lands within its jurisdiction that were former taro lands or are capable of becoming wet or dry taro producing lands on all islands, many of which are prioritized for other uses.  It also found that lease rates were inconsistent and in some cases unduly expensive due to the influence by the value of adjacent developed lands, therefore making the land unaffordable to existing or future taro farmers.  The task force found that some agricultural leases, both public and private, were as low as $30 per acre per year, but as high as $2,000 per acre per year when they were adjacent to highly valued residential properties or conservation land.  In general, taro farming lands appear to have higher lease rates among state agencies than leases for other agricultural uses.  The high cost of leases makes critical fallowing practices that improve soil health and reduce apple snail populations and fungal diseases in taro soils unaffordable.

     Taro farming is a practice learned on-farm, through family, and by example.  Lease criteria that require specific education levels or financial status prevent taro farmers from qualifying for leases, particularly among young farmers.

     The purpose of this Act is to improve access to taro growing lands and opportunity for taro self-sufficiency by requiring the department of land and natural resources and department of agriculture to reevaluate their inventory of lands for potential taro-growing lands, develop more affordable and reasonable lease rent rates, establish accessible criteria for qualifying taro farmers, and, in partnership with the taro security and purity task force, facilitate the expansion of taro production and food self-sufficiency.

     SECTION 2.  The department of land and natural resources and department of agriculture, in conjunction with the taro security and purity task force, shall:

     (1)  Reevaluate agency land inventory for potential taro-growing lands and, using local knowledge of the location of historic dry and wet taro-cultivated areas, designate these lands for taro production use by January 1, 2013;

     (2)  Develop a consistent and affordable lease rent rate schedule specific to taro farmed lands by January 1, 2013;

     (3)  Set a cap on lease rents for taro farms at no more than $100 per acre, regardless of adjacent land values;

     (4)  Review existing qualifying criteria for farm leases and develop a consistent and accessible criteria for taro farmers to qualify for taro land leases by January 1, 2013; and

     (5)  Provide taro farmers, organizations, and individuals access to information by January 1, 2013, including:

         (A)  Taro land inventories;

         (B)  Opportunities for leases of these lands; and

         (C)  Qualifying criteria and costs for farm leases.

     SECTION 3.  The department of land and natural resources and department of agriculture shall submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty day prior to the 2013 regular session regarding the reclassification of taro lands, adjustments to lease rents, and modifications to lease qualification criteria.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2011.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Agriculture; Affordable Taro Lands

 

Description:

Requires the department of land and natural resources and the department of agriculture to work with the taro security and purity task force to identify taro lands, adjust lease rents, and modify lease qualification criteria.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.