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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0545.000 1998-2000 November 16, 1999 Presentation to the Human Services and Economic Development ~~o ~ j Committee, Hawaii County Council, Hilo, Hawaii. ei.; ~ . ~ - Title: What Can County Government Do To Enhance Agricultural Development on the "Big Island" of Hawaii ~ ~ Councilman Tyler and members of the Human Services and Economic Development Committee, thank you for your invitation to speak to you today. 1 don't expect to say anything that you haven't already thought about. You have been dealing with agricultural problems for a number of years while 1 have only been here for a few months. Before 1 give you my "wish" list for agriculture, 1'd like to tell you about the Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center. This Research Center is a vision o f Senator Inouye. He began his quest for this research facility in 1987. At that time, he saw the impact on the Hawaiian economy of the closing of the sugar plantations. He knew that the state of Hawaii could grow anything that God had created and that our future was in diversifying our agricultural systems so that never again would we be dependent on only one or two main crops. The Research Center is envisioned to not only to serve the research needs of Hawaii but also the entire Pacific Basin. Preliminary cost estimates for construction are between S45 and S55 million with an annual operating budget of $15 million. The Center will bring to the "Big Island" 38 of the world foremost agricultural scientists with a support staff of 120 people. PBARC, as the Center is known, will be constructed on the mauka side of Komohana across from the Komohana AG Complex and the Observatory labs. Its research will be closely coordinated with the University of Hawaii at Hilo and Manoa as well as other Universities throughout the Pacific Basin. Both its architecture and functions will be done in concert with the traditions and history of the city, county, and state of Hawaii. When it is completed in December 2002, it will be something that everyone in the state can be proud. comm. rro. SV Jr F51e No. R ES ~ presented F/SEOL Ref. To: Ref. Date 1 6 1999 Before I begin my wish list for agriculture, 1 would like you to know where 1 have been and why I am here, this may help to shed some light on the statements that 1 make today. I have provided each of you with copies of my talk and my personal resume. 1 was raised on a ranch in the western part of Texas. 1 grew up during the drought years of 1950's. 1 saw my father go from afull-time farmer-rancher to a part-time rancher with a job in town to support his family. These were years of hard times with great changes. Extended families were broken up as the younger generations were forced to leave family farms and go to more urban areas to find work. Consolidation in agriculture and the growing dependence of farm households on non-farm income weakened agriculture's ties to the rural economy. Once a primary driver of the rural economy, agriculture's impact on rural economic prosperity continued to diminish as consolidation and industrialization reduced agriculture's share of rural employment and income. The changing structure of agriculture affected our rural economies in several ways. At one extreme, the decline in farm numbers resulted in a general economic decline. Many remote rural communities, such as my hometown had been dependent on agriculture as a primary employer and income source. Consolidation in agriculture led to fewer farm-related jobs, less total agricultural income, and fewer farm- households. The displaced farm population in these remote communities, unable to secure employment locally, migrated to urban areas. The communities these young people left behind experienced population declines as well as aging o f the population. This population decline and restructuring resulted in lower demand for services and declines in local retail industries and housing. Those that remained in these communities faced higher cost for services, such as education and health care. Leaders in these communities struggled to stimulate economic activity that would diversify and maintain their economies. z At the other extreme were rural communities that had diversified economies and were located in close proximity to major metropolitan areas, such as Dallas or Houston, Texas. These communities saw their share of agricultural employment and the local economy decline gradually. As households in these communities exited agriculture, they moved to employment in other sectors of the local economy. Many farm households were able to remain partially in agriculture by supplementing farm income with employment in the non-farm economy. The impact on these communities was far less than on the more isolated communities. Does this story sound familiar? 1 think so! Today, my hometown, if not thriving, is doing well. Some percentages of the young people stay. The average age of the population is stable. Several large lake projects have developed a growing population of retirees. The population of the city has remained relatively stable; although surrounding small towns have continued to decline in both population number and average age of the citizens. What happened in these isolated Texas counties? 1) County, state, and federal governments worked together to develop the infrastructure needed to sustain the remaining agriculture. A system of farm-to-market roads and bridges were updated and maintained to allow farm produce to move swiftly to market. We must do the same on the "Big Island". 1 recently took a helicopter ride around this island. One thing is clear: Where you have roads you have agricultural development. From the papaya fields in Puna, to the nursery industries in Mountain View and Kohala, to coffee trees in Kona, vegetables in Waimea, to diversified ag on the Hamakua coast, the same trend is visible. Roads and bridges are essential for the development of agriculture. It does no good to grow it if you can't get it to market. In West Texas, 2) Rivers were dammed to provide irrigation water and recreational sites. These were cooperative projects between county, state, and federal governments. 3 In Hawaii, elaborate irrigation systems were developed and built by the sugar plantations. As we look to our future we must revitalize and maintain these systems. We do not have a shortage of water; we have a poor distribution of water. 3) In West Texas, government worked with industry to diversify employment opportunities for its people. They learned about the multiplier effect of money. Agriculture, along with mining, fishing, etc., is a basic form of wealth. A dollar from these is worth more than a dollar to the economy, it is multiplied as it is spent on goods and services, and the more we can process an agricultural commodity to its final form the larger the multiplier effect. As an example, the dollar value of coffee is increased when we roast, grind, and package it, so that when the consumer gets our coffee it is ready to be perked and consumed. It would be even greater if we could perk it and serve it to him or her. Other things that are critical to agriculture include: • Ready transportation, both air and water, at an affordable cost. • Continual development of new markets and new products, for example, what can we do with our cull papayas. New and economic methods to get our products through plant quarantine restrictions. • Development of agricultural safety nets that protect our farmers from climatic disaster or extremely low prices. • Using our agriculture to entice tourist dollars, from tours of farms to bed and breakfast. • We must develop "Agricultural friendly" banks that know ag economics and can aide the farmer in his agricultural endeavors. 1 know that 1 have talked long enough. As 1 told you in the beginning, 1 didn't say anything you didn't already know. Agriculture on the "Big Island" is its growth industry. Agriculture is more than just growing crops-it is processing those crops (the more the better)- it is agricultural equipment and chemical sales-it is transporting the products-and it is consuming the products. It is opportunity-it is a part of the future of Hawaii. Mahalo. 5 ~ U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center Phone: 808-959-4300 P.O. Box 4459 Fax: 808-959-4323 Hilo, HI 96720 a-mail: jeq@aloha.net Dr. Jerry Quisenberry Exuerience Feb. 2, 1999 -Present U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center Hilo, HI Center Director • Development of programs and staffing. • Coordination of construction for the new Center. 1995-1999 USDA/ARS Grazinglands Research Laboratory EI Reno, OK Laboratory Director • Development of research program. • Identified needed staff. • Coordinated construction and community relations. 1991-1996 USDA/ARS Plant Stress and Water Conservation Laboratory Lubbock, TX Laboratory Director • Development of research program. • Identified needed staff. • Coordinated construction of new laboratory. 1980-1990 USDA/ARS Cropping Systems Research Laboratory Lubbock, TX Laborntorv Director • Coordinated research activities of the laboratory. 1976-1980 USDA/ARS Cotton Production Research Unit Lubbock, TX Research Leader • Conducted research on cotton genetics and physiology. • Coordinated research unit activities. 1972-1976 USDA/ARS Cotton Production Research Unit Lubbock, TX Cotton Geneticist • Conducted research on cotton genetics. Education 1965-1971 Texas A&M University; PhD in Genetics in 1971. 1961-1965 Texas A&M University; BS in Agronomy in 1965. Awards 1999 Citizen of the year. El Reno, OK. 1997 Outstanding Performance Award 1994 Outstanding Performance Award 1985 Cotton Genetics Award 1982 Outstanding Performance Award 1978 American Men in Science 1976 Who's Who in [he South and Southwest.