HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0258.033 1996-1998 ~r~
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kmb®interpac.net, 10:42 AM 8/22/97, Testimony concerning agr 1
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date: Fri, ~gI9J7~~4~:T.~-~6 CH8'I~) -
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To: hiclerkcsinterpac.net
From: kmbc~interpac.net
Subject: Testimony concerning agricultural investments in Hawaii
Attn: Council member Dominic Yagong
Please submit this testimony for public record. n
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>Testimony to Hawaii County Council i
>
>August 22, 1997
> -c
>
>Aloha Council Members: '
>I am a six year resident on the Big Island and 30 year resident ~of
the
>State.
>I teach at Honoka'a High School.
>My concern this evening is the possible investment of public
resources in
>a peculiarly
>private venture of agricultural forestry here on the Big Island.
>Plantation forestry as
>envisioned by the current proposal of a foreign corporation will
benefit
>Hawaii little
>or none! Such a vertically integrated corporation will be
impossible to
>monitor as to
>profitability. I calculate based on the projections of current
Hamakua
>Project employment
>figures there will be less than one employee per 50 acres, and this
may
>not be full-time.
>Based on acres to individual farmers ratio currently in diversified
>agriculture the
>employment benefits would be better than a factor of 5 times if
resident
>farmers were
>allotted the same acreage. If the state enters into such a
contractual
>arrangement as being
>currently proposed it will most likely be called upon to make many
types
>of subsidies to this
>new plantation system.
>If the state is to make subsidies for agricultural purposes why not
>subsidize the local
>farmers and potential foresters in crops with a current record of
>profitability, e.g., coffee,
>tropical fruits, foliage and livestock and hardwoods like Koa. The
Printed for hiclerk@interpac.net (County Clerk's Off ~0. ~
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es~ long .te m~ 10:42 AM _8/22/97, Testimony concerning agr 2 I~
>benefits in my estimation would accrue from extensive plantings of
>hardwoods suitable
>for high value products like crafts and furniture. we have the
market
>for such items and
>the skilled craftsmen for such an industry. This industry can do
nothing
>but become more
>valuable and I know that our young people have the talents to meet
any
>future needs. But,
>do we have the woods material?! We need to invest in such public
futures
>not fragile, risky
>ventures such as currently being proposed.
>Finally, my biggest concern is that a major investment by state and
local
>government in
>such ventures as plantation style short-term tree rotation cropping
will
>send the Big Island's
>economy into an economic dark age just when
entrepreneurial-cooperative
>agriculture is
>turning the corner on the recent economic doldrums.
>"Public resources for public economic development" is what should
guide
>our future
>economic planning and investment. Let peculiar private investment
take
>it's own risks!
>Mahalo Nui Loa,
>Keith Burchett
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