[PART I. GENERAL PROVISIONS]

 

Note

 

  Part designation added by revisor.

 

[§163D-1]  Findings and purpose.  Thelegislature finds that the downsizing of the sugar and pineapple industries ispresenting an unprecedented opportunity for the conversion of agriculture intoa dynamic growth industry.  Within the next decade, seventy-five thousand acresof agricultural lands and fifty million gallons per day of irrigation water areexpected to be released by plantations.  The downsizing of the sugar and pineappleindustries will idle a valuable inventory of supporting infrastructureincluding irrigation systems, roads, drainage systems, processing facilities,workshops, and warehouses.  The challenge to government and business is toconserve and convert the arable lands and their associated productioninfrastructure in a timely manner into new productive uses that are based uponstrategies developed from detailed marketing analysis and monitoring of local,national, and international opportunities.  Constantly evolving economiesrequire an aggressive and dynamic leadership for the promotion and developmentof agricultural enterprises, and centralized leadership to coordinate industrydevelopment, provide industry-wide services, provide marketing assistance, and facilitateinvestments and coventures in viable enterprises.

The purpose of this chapter is to create avehicle and process to make optimal use of agricultural assets for theeconomic, environmental, and social benefit of the people of Hawaii.  Thischapter establishes a public corporation to administer an aggressive anddynamic agribusiness development program.  The corporation shall coordinate andadminister programs to assist agricultural enterprises to facilitate thetransition of agricultural infrastructure from plantation operations into otheragricultural enterprises, to carry on the marketing analysis to directagricultural industry evolution, and to provide the leadership for thedevelopment, financing, improvement, or enhancement of agricultural enterprises.[L 1994, c 264, pt of §1]