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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0212.086 1996-1998 HAWAll ISLAND r-r^.-~. _ - Economic Development '97 APR 23 P(1 12 4i Board April 22, 1997 COUf~, ~ .r ~i< COUNTY Or HAWAII The Honorable Aaron Chung 8..~ H.w¦11- Hllc Chair, Finance Committee 2o0 Kanoel~hw AVe. SuIU 103, Box 291 Hawaii County Council Hib, H1 98720 Ph (805) 888.5418/17 25 Aupuni Street Faz (508)868-8792 Hilo, Hawaii 96720 w..t H.wdl-IwS. Flret Fadarel Bldg. 76-5737 Re: Bill #62 RELATING TO THE POST HARVEST KuaMN Hwy. Y20I TREATMENT FACILITY PROJECT. rKialee~ o Resolution #71 (ON A RELATED ISSUE) Ph: (808) 328-4773 Public Heazing Apri124, 1997 - 8:00 Am County Council Chambers Honorable Chair and Members of the Committee: My name is Richard Henderson and I am President of the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board. For more than five yeazs, HIEDB has worked closely with county, state, federal and private-sector resources to assist in the ongoing transition from plantation economics to diversified agriculture. As you know, sugar represented mono-crop corporate agriculture with a single production season and processing methodology, established regulation, a single world-market price, delivery method and designated market, with minimal entrepreneurial activity and jobs at the field or mill levels in our former plantation communities. Diversified agriculture depends on reliable and consistent production and delivery of dozens of crops, produced and/or processed through vazious technologies, to several levels of commodity or value-added product, governed by hundreds of regulatory mandates, shipped through vazious distribution channels to hundreds of markets at dozens of different price levels, and offering entrepreneurial and/or employment opportunity at every level of commodity or process. Sustainable tazget markets exist in import substitution, value-added processing, and national/international commodity and product markets. The challenge and opportunity in diversified agriculture is unlimited. Much work needs to be done to collectively accomplish the myriad performance tasks before us. We applaud the sons and daughters of the plantations who are making this dynamic transition. We have pledged our commitment to their present and future success, and believe that the measures before you represent the starting-point in a lengthy collaboration towards economic sustainability. Comm. No. HIEDB's Board will consider the attached draft resolution at its upcoming Board meeting on April 29, 1997. The resolution speaks to commitment towards a Consolidation, Processing and Distribution center for Hawaii Island. We believe that a comprehensive facility -built primarily with private-sector capital - is vital to future successes for diversified agriculture. We respectfully urge your support and recommendation of the referenced bill #62 to the Council of the Whole with the following suggested amendments: • Incorporation of the language of Resolution #71-97 into the bill. •Appropriation of funds (for a Consolidation, Processing and Distribution Center Project Trust) ~D t0 a maximum of $2 million in partnership with other public and private resources for various project components to include (but not be limited to) -DEVELOPMENT OF AN INDUSTRY ECONOMIC ANALYSIS. -CONSOLIDATION & DISTRIBUTION CENTER PLAN UPDATES (Dept. of Agriculture, 1994 and Dept. of Transportation, 1987). -CROP, FIELD AND PROCESSED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. -PRODUCE AND PRODUCT MARKETING. • Limit public fund expenditures towards construction costs of any single treatment protocol in order to ensure a level playing field. • Creation of an action committee as outlined in the transmittal list. We believe that the suggested amendments will maintain a level of control over public funding, allow vital information elements to be assessed in expedited fashion, ensure partnership project support, and send an action message to Hawaii's agricultural community. Thank you for the opportunity to submit these comments. Yours sincerely, X~ 'v to`_ .L~~~F i Richard Henderson `13ny~I~nley`` ~ d o President Agriculture Cte. fence & Tech Cte. RESOLUTION ON A PROPOSED CONSOLIDATION, PROCESSING & DISTRIBUTION CENTER WHEREAS, the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board (HIEDB) through its Agriculture Committee has supported numerous studies, conferences, projects and endeavors on development of a dynamic diversified agricultural industry for Hawaii Island since 1991, and WHEREAS, agricultural interests have long indicated their priority interest in agricultural infrastructure (to include coordinated consolidation, processing and distribution), crop development and product marketing, and WHEREAS, HIEDB through its Science & Technology Committee, developed a Hawaii Island High Tech Strategic Plan published in January, 1997, and WHEREAS, the Plan recommendations and the proceedings of "Stars, Science, Society II" (November 15, 1996) encouraged among other actions consideration of post harvest treatment facilities for Hawaii Island, and WHEREAS, consultant recommendations also stressed the importance of cooperative educational activities to restore public trust, and WHEREAS, the Science & Technology Committee and Agriculture Committee of HIEDB resolved to conduct a series of public forums in cooperation with the League of Women Voters on post-harvest treatment facilities to include irradiation, and WHEREAS, these forums were conducted on January 15, 1997 and March 18, 1997 attended by a total of over 400 persons, and the full, unedited proceedings of the March 18 forum were broadcast through public access television for the entire island, and WHEREAS, expert speakers and community representatives were sought in response to public questions on economic sustainability, the handling of radioactive material, food and facility safety, and other isssues, and WHEREAS, these speakers included the State Department of Agriculture, the Tropical Fruit Growers Cooperative, the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the Agricultural Research Service of USDA, the Coalition for Irradiation Concerns (aka Irradiation Free Food Hawaii), a health physicist and radiological expert, the Hawaii County Department of Research and Development, a high energy physicist, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Western Region) and the Food and Drug Administration (Western Region), and WHEREAS, HIEDB has assembled an extensive national and international bibliography and research library on irradiation facilities and food safety issues, and has conducted extensive research with manufacturers, potential operators and users of such facilities, and WHEREAS, HIEDB acknowledges the quantum growth of the tropical fruit and diversified agricultural industry in Hawaii and its pioneering work with Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS), Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA- APHIS), the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR-UH), the Hawaii State Department of Agriculture and the Hawaii County Department of Research and Development in developing approved protocols utilizing various technology for the export treatment, shipment logistics and marketing of papaya, tropical fruits and other Hawaii produce and product, and WHEREAS, preliminary data indicates significant need, interest and economic opportunity for a primary statewide Consolidation, Processing and Distribution Center on Hawaii Island, to include consideration of various USDA and FDA certified mechanical and technological options such as food processing, shipping, packaging, warehousing, refrigeration, vapor heat/cold treatment, other post-harvest treatment options including irradiation, comprehensive product development and marketing, and NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Science & Technology Committee of HIEDB recommends full Board support of a comprehensive Consolidation, Processing and Distribution Center on Hawaii Island. The Committee further recommends that public funds be allocated to development of a professional economic and marketing analysis of all aspects of a Hawaii Island Consolidation, Processing and Distribution Center, and that priority emphasis should be given to crop and product development and marketing. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Science & Technology Committee, together with the Agriculture Committee, recommend review and approval of this resolution at the Board's next scheduled meeting on April 29, 1997, and that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Mayor and Hawaii County Council, Hawaii Island state and federal elected representatives, and member organizations of the Big Island Business Council. Given under my hand and Corporate Seal on r*~~~ - ~ _ ~1 //j~ l Tol, Chair, Science & Technology Committee