Bill Text: HI HR236 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

---

Bill Title: State Agencies; Food Money Spending on Locally-Produced Food

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-03-24 - (H) Report adopted. referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 1 with none voting no and Belatti, Berg, Chang, Mizuno, M. Oshiro, Shimabukuro, Thielen excused. [HR236 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-HR236-Amended.html

---

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	236
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING STATE PUBLIC ENTITIES TO COMMIT TO HEALTHIER AND MORE NUTRITIOUS MEALS IN THEIR PROGRAMS BY SPENDING MORE OF THEIR FOOD DOLLARS FOR LOCALLY-PRODUCED PRODUCE OR OTHER HAWAII AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.

 

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii is heavily dependent on imported food to feed its residents, with an estimated 85 to 90 percent of the food consumed in the state imported; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii residents spend an estimated $3,700,000,000 annually on food, and if some of the dollars spent on imported food were invested in locally produced food, it would yield multiple benefits to Hawaii's economy; and

 

     WHEREAS, a recent publication by the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and the State Department of Agriculture evaluates the economic multiplier effects of increasing food self-sufficiency in Hawaii's economy; and

 

     WHEREAS, assuming that 85 percent of the food consumed in Hawaii is imported, $3,100,000,000 is leaving the State to support agribusinesses elsewhere, and replacing just ten percent of these imported foods – assuming appropriate resources and infrastructures are available for such an expansion - would amount to some $313,000,000, or $94,000,000 at the farm gate, given a 30 percent farm share; and

 

     WHEREAS, taking into account the multiplier effects, this $94,000,000 would generate an estimated economy-wide impact of $188,000,000 in sales, $47,000,000 in earnings, $6,000,000 in state tax revenues and more than 2,300 jobs; and

 

     WHEREAS, other non-monetary benefits include better environmental stewardship, reduced risk of invasive species, and land preservation; now, therefore,

 

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2010, that the University of Hawaii, Department of Education, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation and other state public entities are requested to commit to healthier and more nutritious meals in their programs by spending     percent of their food dollars for locally-produced produce or other Hawaii agricultural products; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these agencies submit a report to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the Regular Session of 2011 on the status of their respective purchases and use of locally-produced produce or other Hawaii agricultural products and any recommendations for improvements in meeting this goal; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, President of the University of Hawaii, Superintendent of Education, and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation.

 

 

 

Report Title: 

State Agencies; Food Money Spending on Locally-Produced Food