Support Two Good Food & Ag Bills! Testimony due Sunday!
Join us in SUPPORTING SB2218 (Food Hub Pilot Program) and SB2509 (Repeal GE Exemption for Corporate Ag). These measures have their first hearing on Monday, January 31st 2022 at 1pm in the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment (testimony needs to be submitted before Sunday, January 30th 2022 at 1pm).
SUPPORT FOR FOOD HUBS
What does this bill do? If passed, SB2218 will establish a five-year food hub pilot program to increase access to local food. Provides for the award of grant funding to qualified applicants wishing to establish or expand a food hub.
Why is it important? SB2218 is important because 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.
REPEAL TAX BREAKS FOR GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CROPS
What does this bill do? If passed, SB2509 will repeal an exemption to the general excise (GE) tax for genetically engineered (GE) agricultural products.
Why is it important? SB2509 is important because it would repeal the existing exemption that allows some of the largest corporations in the world to avoid paying state general excise tax.
Please show your support for SB2218 & SB2509 before Monday by registering at the state capitol portal here capitol.hawaii.gov/login/register.aspx and submitting testimony via this link for the bill:
Here’s how you can help:
Submit testimony in SUPPORT of SB2218 & SB2509 by Sunday, January 30th 2022 at 1pm via the Hawaiʻi State Capitol Portal. capitol.hawaii.gov/ (Note: you will need to initially create an account (register) on the Capitol website and then login to submit testimony.)
You can also testify virtually by selecting this option while submitting your testimony at the State Capitol Portal. To get the virtual link and participate in the hearing you will need to select the option that says “Remotely via Zoom during the hearing & written testimony when asked “How will you be testifying?”
BACKGROUND & TALKING POINTS
SUPPORT FOR FOOD HUBS
Often finding access to distribution into mainstream markets and stores is challenging for local, small-scale producers. Food hubs can also 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 are also believed to assist with the development of resilient and equitable local food systems which provide greater food system equity, taking better care of those in “food desserts”, where people have limited access to a variety of healthy foods.
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.
REPEAL TAX BREAKS FOR GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CROPS
Genetically engineered (GE) crops are all produced by large corporations who already receive excessive tax breaks and avoid taxes in many ways. We should not be exempting some of the largest corporations in the world from general excise tax, especially while they degrade our lands with experimental field trials and plots of GE crops.
The exemption for GE crops is further atrocious because general excise tax is an important part of our revenue, at a time where we are dealing with unprecedented economic issues presented by the pandemic. If anyone can afford to pay this tax, it is multinational corporations who profit billions of dollars each year.
The point of tax breaks is to encourage the activities that we want and keep money in our circular economy.
General excise tax is used for important funding projects that our community desperately needs, like housing and infrastructure.
Tax breaks given to large corporations result in money leaving Hawaiʻi whereas tax breaks for small regenerative farmers benefit Hawaiʻi and keep money here helping local families.
Want to learn more about the legislative process? Join us for YPDA’s Legislative Process Workshop tomorrow to learn about more good bills to support and how to engage.
The legislative session is now underway, and it’s so important for each of us to speak up and take action. But it can be daunting to navigate the legislature’s website and figure out how to track bills and submit testimony. This free Zoom training, organized by Young Progressives Demanding Action, will demystify the legislative process and show you how to make an impact.
If you’ve never participated in a legislative session before, or you’d like a quick refresher, register now for the training on Saturday, January 29, from 12-2 pm. HAPA is also going to share our legislative priorities this year. You’ll also be able to network and meet fellow advocates.
Thank you for taking action!
In solidarity,
The HAPA Team
Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action
