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r BIG ISLAND FARM BUREAU P.O. Box 2341 Kealakekua, Hawaii 96750 Phone: 324-6011 Fax: 322-9633 Email: bi~verizon.net September 22, 2005 Pete S. Hoffmann, Co-Chairman K. Angel Pilago, Co-Chairman Hawaii County Council Committee on Planning 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 RE: Support of Bill 148 to Amend Chapter 25 (Zoning Code) Relating to Agricultural Tourism Co-Chairmen I[offinann and Pilago and Members of the Planning Committee: The Big Island Faun Bureau is composed of Hamakua County, Kohala County, Hilo County and Kona County of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation. These tour organizations represent all commodities of the agricultural industry on the Island of Hawaii and collectively have a current base of more than 425 members. The Big Island Farm Bureau is amulti-county farm bureau under the auspices of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation which currently has more than 1,500 members. 'Fhe Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation is a state farm bureau under the auspices of the American Farm Bureau Federation which has a current membership of more than 5.6 million. The role of government is to nurture free commerce and trade within certain guidelines and not to create impossible or unnecessary hurdles. I believe that it is not a trite comment when it is said that "The State of Hawaii is not business friendly" with respect to taxes, statutes, rules, and regulations. Fhe importance of agriculture is exemplified by the following: 1. The Hawaii County General Plan goals for agriculture are: to identify, protect, and maintain important agriculh~re lands on the Island of Hawaii; preserve the agricultural character of the island; and preserve and enhance opportunities for the expansion of Hawaii's agricultural industry. 2. "The conservation and protection of imporia~lt agricultural lands; the promotion of diversified agriculture; increasing agricultural self-sufficiency; and assurance of the availability of agriculturally suitable lands are all conditions mandated by the Constitution of the State of Plawaii. 3. Agriculture provides revenue to the county and state in the form of taxes. For example, last year, as reported by the Hawaii Agricultural Statistics Service, the farm gate value of coffee alone (parchment basis) on the Island of Hawaii was estimated at $15.2 million and the total farm gate value oP the major crops in the county was estimated at more than $125.3 million. 4. Last year, as reported by the Hawaii Agricultural Statistics Service, agriculture provided approximately 2,700 jobs within the county.