HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0258.018 1996-1998
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COUMY u;=~ HAWAII
1\1r. llominic Yagortg
County Council
25 Au}mni Street
Hilo, Hl 96720
July 23, 1997
Dear Mr. Yagong,
Congalulatiuns on your efforts io deternunc the bc:~a use for the Hamakua lxnclx. At
your public meeting at Tex's Drive-Inn, 7.1 tl/97, K.evitt Balog made a statement which
we hear guile open lrom govenunent and urban people.
1~hal is That Cattle Ranchir~ is the (cast desirable IF;~ri use.
Consider this:
I run a family cattle ranch 1 spend between "i!, x'!':0.00 and 8200,000.00 a vear in this
county. My net profit is low, so that like othc=i r&;tc3:crs , 1 cart not pay much for pashue.
But look at what we ranchero spend here ut I4:rs~,:.ii, over 90°~O of our gross.
On the 13ig 1rJartd alone we utilize over 700,000 ; cs <s that prior to sugar going out of
business was land unsuitable for growing crony ~ iicre are 900 ranches in Elte state xnd
with exception of a handful of larF,e ranches titer ~ aa.~ opera4onA similar to mine that
spend their total gross, along with the lartc ran~i~c-, !it the state- 7 he amount that the
beef cattle business spends each year ~n H;a~.vasi `;ar t:a~en over X30 million in the last 6
yeant. This is second only ur Towiam. Ii >s~~~t r~~.-, cattle r~azinv, is viable option.
]I you arc a private land owmer and do r,>t hay+= t#,~ : ~s nonsibly fm' the overall welfare of
the public you may very welt search fur fugh~„r ~i!,tt wotild pa}- you higher rent, even
u the inanne from the industry was not ape:nt ;tit,. a, slswaii.
Hcrwcvcr, if you are responsible for ]'utrlic I,z+ird::; 'i?:~., *.he Slate, County and lIatvaiian
domes Commission, }'ou should be considering; tits overall benefit to the public.
].coking over my expenses shows that 7 pad; r,c s :`Duiomotive Sertiice for maintaining
my Tntck, Miranda fencing for fence twirl;, Ca,it:;;e-,'s'.ilclding for maintenance at my
hailer, Miranda bucking and Young, IIros. for Prl~,iG;~orling cattle, Nonokaa Service
Station, Kawaihac Service Statimt, Hcncufioha.o: ~:i~=-~+cron for fuel, ~i'aimca Feed Co for
toed and supplements, RK~ (tlsen for ti'et supni:+~:. °.~~ri. rnedichtes, 1`Iaw~au vet Ass. for
services, Jocy l,ornzo to shoe my homes, Cq? i ~ V ^hac for supplies, Ace I lardy; xic
rr unmi. Ddo,
Freddy Rice P.O. Box 98 I<amc,i,l,.- :'r-slril 967x3 (808) 88546&~i'
tt i~ JUl _2 2 1997
ERGDY RICE TES NO.~.?~ °~;5v~_r~F= ?ul :2~~7 5~1~ P.~~~2
.
for tools and materaLc, American Pacific Inc fn, r~astw~e rent, its Cellular and A[&T for
phone service, KM Seed for small machine rcpau nd electric fence materials, Miranda
Country Store for equipment, (hchid Isle Autotttoti~~e Ccntcr for the lease on my uvck
These are monody payments. It is small businesses like us ranchers that keep these
people, who in turn spend their money in this cauaty, going.
Property managed and developed to high procPuctiosa ~assea and legumes, the lands in
1Iamakua could produce an inccmte between S20t, and 53(10 per acre that would flow out
into the community.
Cattle will also rccVClc many of the harmful eEer:'ecs,;,e, lull ur the soil by the sugar industry
back in to the soil as healthy manure and urine.
[Ising presenth' idle land for pasture will pre;e:-.^z in a form easih' crnneMed to higher
use should a better use become available in fha ;isEt,;
Most of today's cattle ranchers are Holistic ncuc<la~,I r,ttd will develop good tnarragentent
practices with diversification such as going ;3a;
Kc~ - sT~ip with other products like limas
trees and Koa trees for wind breaks and shade. "~"auy are also mindful of the. recreational
uses that may help defray their expenses.
All things considered, those tespcrosible far p..il°31<: try+rds should not look upon Cattle
grarng as a last rcsrnl.
l here is also the cnnsideraticm of motiutg the ll.s~~ y J.nduslry from Uahu to the I Iamakua
Coast. This is a big Industry with many o4 rho 5.;~,aac bettefiis of beef Cattle and perhaps
the ability to pay higher rents.
Slnccrciy, ~ JAG=<u^/`
/.y t//J .c_c~
cc.ri9ayor Steve YaYhashiro, Mike 1t~ilvon, .io!r: ,:ay, T?wight Takamitte, Governor i3en
Ceyctano