Bill Text: HI HR111 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii House Resolution 111 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Agribusiness Development Corporation; Working Group

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-23 - (H) The committee(s) recommends that the measure be deferred. [HR111 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2011-HR111-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	111
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE 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 from the closure of the sugar and pineapple plantations to a diversity of crops; and

WHEREAS, the Agribusiness Development Corporation is administratively attached to the Department of Agriculture to bridge the void between public and private sector 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 House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, 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 University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, 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; and

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

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this 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 University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Executive Director of the Hawaii Community Development Corporation, and Executive Director of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.