Support Good Food Bills & Oppose the Transfer of ADC!
Support Good Food Bills & Oppose the Transfer of ADC!
Join us in supporting more good agriculture bills this week!
SB2982 (Food Hubs), SB2990 (Cover Crops), and SB3005 (Cover Crops) all have their first hearing in the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment on Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022 at 1 PM.
Please also join us in opposing SB2473 (Transfer of ADC from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism).
This measure has its first hearing on Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022 at 3 PM. This is a joint hearing in the Senate Committee of Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment.
Testimony needs to be submitted 24 hours in advance of each hearing. These testimonies need to be submitted before Tuesday, February 1st, 2022 at 1 PM for good ag bills and 3 PM for opposing the ADC transfer.
SB2982 SUPPORT FOOD HUBS
What Does This Bill Do?
SB2982 would require the Department of Agriculture to establish a five-year food hub pilot program to increase access to local food.
Why Is This Bill Important?
Food hubs provide markets for small farmers and food producers to sell their produce and food products. It can be challenging for small farmers and food producers to find retail outlets and markets for their goods. Food hubs level the playing field for smaller-scale producers by connecting them with customers who want to support local and sustainably grown food. Food hubs aggregate produce and added value products and often provide delivery and pick-up options.
SB2990 & SB3005 SUPPORT COVER CROP BILLS
What Do These Bills Do?
Both bills establish a cover crop reimbursement pilot program to provide reimbursement to farming operations in the State for costs related to cover cropping.
Why Are These Bills Important?
Cover crops improve water quality, soil health, and build resiliency in the face of climate change. They are one of the most common, accessible agricultural strategies for improving soil health and water retention. They also prevent nitrogen pollution in water and erosion to the benefit of both the environment and the farmer.
SB2473 OPPOSE THE TRANSFER OF ADC
What Does This Bill Do?
If passed, SB2473 will transfer the administrative attachment of the Agribusiness Development Corporation from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.
Why Is This Bill a Concern?
While some business and economic development expertise should certainly guide the ADC’s effort of increasing local food production enterprises in Hawaiʻi, an agency tasked with catalyzing the transition from pineapple and sugar to diversified agriculture must be well versed in the needs of the agricultural sector. Moving the agency into DBEDT would only further alienate the agency from its key stakeholders. The agency does not need to be housed under DBEDT to access business and economic development acumen. The legislature should take a more comprehensive approach to addressing the failings of the agency and enact reforms based on the recommendations of the state audit.
How to Help
Submit testimony before Tuesday, February 1st, 2022 via the Hawaiʻi State Capitol Portal.
In addition to submitting written testimony, you can also provide oral testimony via Zoom by selecting the option below. A zoom link will be emailed to you just before the scheduled hearing.
Background & Talking Points
FOOD HUBS (SUPPORT)
Finding access to distribution into mainstream markets and stores is challenging for local, small-scale producers. Food hubs can help overcome this challenge by helping producers to market their products.
The functions and structure of a food hub vary, but often include the following:
Market access for local producers
Information sharing
Transportations and distribution
Brokerage services
Product bundling and aggregation
Season extension
Maintaining producer-consumer connections
Producer-oriented technical assistance
Food hubs also assist with the development of resilient and equitable local food systems which provide greater access to healthy foods for those living in “food deserts”, where people have limited access to a variety of healthy produce.
Support of food hubs will actively help to increase local food security.
The more we support local food production, aggregation and consumption the more we decrease our carbon footprint, support our small-scale food producers and keep dollars in our local economy.
COVER CROPS (SUPPORT)
Cover crops improve water quality, soil health, and build resiliency in the face of climate change. They are one of the most common, accessible agricultural strategies for improving soil health and water retention. They also prevent nitrogen pollution in water and erosion to the benefit of both the environment and the farmer.
Cover crops are considered a Best Management Practice (BMP) widely used in agriculture for nutrient loss reduction and soil conservation.
Cover crops are crucial to the nutrient cycle and the development of fertile soil. Because of this trait and how they’re used to manage a range of soil macronutrients and micronutrients[3], they are sometimes referred to as "green manure”. Of the various nutrients, the impact that cover crops have on nitrogen management has received the most attention from researchers and farmers because nitrogen is often the most limiting nutrient in crop production.
In the same way that allelopathic properties of cover crops can suppress weeds, they can also break disease cycles and reduce populations of bacterial and fungal diseases and parasitic nematodes. For example, species such as mustards have been shown to suppress fungal disease through the release of naturally occurring toxic chemicals. Similarly, some cover crops are used as so-called "trap crops" to attract pests away from the crop of value and intentionally toward the cover crop.
The many benefits of cover crops include:
Growing our agriculture sector through cover crop seed production
Supporting sustainable farming practices and healthy soil
Remediating depleted soil from industrial farming systems
Building organic matter (soil quality) and improving soil fertility (nutrients)
Reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and saving farmers’ money in inputs
Supporting native species and biodiversity
Increasing water infiltration and water retention
Suppressing weeds, resulting in less herbicide use
Providing disease and pest management
Reducing wind and water erosion and conserving top soil
Preventing runoff from impacting sensitive environments, water sources, nearshore reefs, and fisheries
Similar cover crop reimbursement programs have been successfully implemented in other states and work to incentivize cover crop planting and growth.
TRANSFER OF ADC (OPPOSE)
The Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) is a government agency that controls and manages large agricultural lands and water projects throughout Hawaiʻi. It was originally created in 1994 to help transition Hawaiʻi from sugar and pineapple plantations to a more diversified agribusiness industry.
In January of 2021, a shocking audit conducted by the Hawaiʻi State Auditor revealed how leaders of the ADC have failed to accomplish the agency's mission within its nearly 30-year existence.
The state audit raises a multitude of concerns that cannot be addressed by simply moving oversight of the agency. Therefore, we oppose the transfer of the agency and respectfully request that the legislature take a more comprehensive approach to reforming the ADC.
The state audit found that the ADC was lacking in deep agricultural expertise. Moving the agency out of DOA into DEBDT would only further exacerbate this disconnect with the needs of farmers/food producers on the ground. The ADC should seek to increase the agricultural expertise on its board and staff through its strategic planning process.
Additionally, several studies have shown that small farmers overwhelmingly identified a lack of access to affordable, right-sized farm leases as a major barrier to farming. If the state is to meet its local food production goals, the ADC should be a part of the solution in prioritizing access for farmers that are committed to sustainably producing food for local consumption.
