HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2646

TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO A SCHOOL FARM COMPLEX.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that it is in the public interest to support agricultural self-sustainability.  To achieve agricultural self-sustainability, innovative ideas must be brought to the table and explored through the collaborative efforts of government, industry, and community specialists.  One such idea is to establish a "school farm complex" as a pilot project.  The school farm complex (different from the farm-to-school concept) would be a real, working bona fide farming enterprise, but with classroom facilities and a school curriculum component.  The day-to-day operations of the school farm complex would be handled by community partners, including local farmers, with groups of students from area schools utilizing the complexes' classroom and experiential components on a rotational basis.  The legislature further finds that such a school farm complex pilot project is in line with the goals of Hawaii's long-term agricultural sustainability plan because it generates and perpetuates interest in farming and agriculture among schoolchildren, our next generation.

     The purpose of this Act is to establish a school farm complex task force to explore the feasibility of establishing a school farm complex as a pilot project on the island of Oahu.

     SECTION 2.  School farm complex task force. (a)  The mission of the task force shall be to determine the feasibility of implementing a school farm complex pilot project at the University of Hawaii – West Oahu campus.

     (b)  Beginning no later than January 1, 2015, the

University of Hawaii at Manoa's college of tropical agriculture

and human resources shall convene a task force to determine the

feasibility of implementing a school farm complex pilot project

at the University of Hawaii – West Oahu campus.

     (c)  The school farm complex task force shall consist of:

          (1)  The dean of the University of Hawaii at Manoa's college of tropical agriculture and human resources, or the dean's designated representative, who shall serve as the chair of the task force;

          (2)  The director of the department of agriculture or the director's designated representative;

          (3)  The chairperson of the board of education or the chairperson's designated representative;

          (4)  The director of the department of health or the director's designated representative;

          (5)  The director of the department of business, economic development, and tourism or the director's designated representative;

          (6)  A representative of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation;

          (7)  A member of the agriculture industry who represents small-operation farmers, who shall be selected by the chair;

          (8)  A member of the agriculture industry who represents medium-operation farmers, who shall be selected by the chair;

          (9)  A member of the agriculture industry who represents large-operation farmers, who shall be selected by the chair;

          (10) A representative from the Kokua Hawaii Foundation; and

          (11) A member that shall represent farmers' markets.

     (d)  The task force shall:

          (1)  Develop recommendations and strategies that will facilitate the successful implementation of a school farm complex pilot project;

          (2)  Identify any type of barrier that prevents or hinders a school farm complex pilot project from being established;

          (3)  Identify any type of barrier that prevents or hinders schools or other entities from participating in school farm complex projects that teach children and the public about the concepts of food production and consumption, the value of an accessible supply of locally grown food, the interrelationships between nutrition, food choices, obesity, and health, and agricultural enterprise "best practices";

          (4)  Address such barriers that may include, but are not limited to, the following issues:

              (A)  Transportation;

              (B)  Storage;

              (C)  Marketing;

              (D)  Contracting; and

              (E)  Food certification, food safety, and health; and

          (5)  Investigate the status and availability of local, state, federal, and any other resources that may be used to further the mission and recommendations of the task force and eliminate the barriers that prevent or hinder the establishment of a school farm complex.

     SECTION 3.  The task force shall submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2016 on its findings and recommendations, including any recommendations for an implementation plan or proposed legislation.

     SECTION 4.  This act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Agriculture; School Farm Complex

 

Description:

Establishes a School Farm Complex Task Force to determine the feasibility of a school farm complex pilot project on Oahu.  Requires a report to the legislature.

 

 

 

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