Our food self sufficiency bill is not supposed to still be alive. Thanks to you it is. Now we need one more push to get over the finish line and WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP!
Last month you testified in support of HB 2703, a bill to require the state of Hawaii to double its food production by the year 2020. The bureaucrats and the developers hated it. But thanks to your support it survived in the House of Representatives. Now it is going to be heard on the other side: in the SenateAgriculture Committee - and one more time we need you to testify.
We’ve heard that opponents are unhappy that we’ve gotten this far and they are going to make another effort to finish us off. We need to show that a lot of people support this bill - both in writing and in person.
Why is it controversial? Think about it: If the state has to double food production in just 8 years, how could they possibly justify reclassifying the best farmland currently growing food in order to permit more suburban sprawl?
Please write to the Chair of the Committee, Senator Clarence Nishihara. You can submit testimony here and if you can spare the time please come testify in person this Tuesday at 2:45pm at the Capitol in Room 229.
Here are some of the things you could say:
§ Doubling our food production, according to a 2008 UH study, would give a $313 million jolt to the state economy, create $47 million in profits, provide $6 million in state tax revenues and create more than 2,300 jobs.
§ Hawaii currently only grows 8% to 10% of the food we eat, according to the US Department of Agriculture. This leaves us incredibly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
§ Opinion polls repeatedly show this issue is one of the top political concerns of voters in Hawaii. They also show that local people are prepared to pay a little more than for imported food because they place a premium on locally grown food.
§ A statutory goal for food production will have a galvanizing effect both on the state and on the private sector - in the same way as the Clean Energy Initiative has helped lick-start the booming alternative energy sector.
"Our food sustainability bill -to commit the state to double food production by 2020- has passed every committee on both sides of the Legislature leaving just minor differences between the Senate and House versions to be ironed out in a Conference Committee before final votes on the floor of both chambers. Hallelujah! Right?
Not so fast…
The Senate has appointed its Conferees. But the Speaker, Calvin Say, has not named his House reps. No House conferees, no conference. No conference, no bill. It’s that simple.
HB2703 would set the stage to press for all the things needed to spark a true food-farming renaissance in Hawaii. Things like helping farmers get leases, investing in irrigation systems, providing covered port facilities to encourage inter-island commerce, building processing and purchasing networks and revising procurement codes so institutions like the Board of Education can start buying local, investing in training and loan assistance programs, putting food stamp machines in farmers’ markets, etc, etc.
So we need a huge response.
We need everyone to contact Speaker Say and the House Ag Committee Chair, Clift Tsuji, to politely ask them to pass HB 2703 out of Conference Committee. We need the response to be bigger that at any previous stage. We need people who've never lobbied before. We need people to identify themselves – “I’m a teacher, I’m a lawyer, I’m a waiter…” to impress the Speaker with the breadth of support.
You don’t need to write much. A couple of lines would do. Preferably in your own words. And keep the message positive. Here’s some of the things you could say:
§ Doubling food production would give a $313 million boost to the economy, provide $6 million in state tax revenues and create more than 2,300 jobs.
§ Hawaii only grows 8% of the food we eat, according to the US Department of Agriculture. This leaves us incredibly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
§ Opinion polls show this issue is one of the top concerns of voters in Hawaii and that people are prepared to pay a little more for locally grown food.
§ A statutory goal for food production will galvanize the state and the private sector – just like the Clean Energy Initiative helped kick-start the booming alternative energy sector. "
Coastview Aquaponics is looking for volunteer help on our farm on Saturdays. We are a small family run commercial farm that sells produce directly to our neighborhood and located on the Kona coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. We need a little help keeping up with the day to day work which usually gets put off until Saturdays when we are all around.
We will compensate your time with food sharing and aquaponics knowledge. Just being on our farm and helping you will have the opportunity to absorb a lot of information. I am always teaching how to do things we have learned over the years of running an aquaponic farm. You will need your own transportation and a willingness to get your hands dirty. I have hundreds of pictures of our farm posted on my page.
Rebecca B
I received this today:
Our food self sufficiency bill is not supposed to still be alive. Thanks to you it is. Now we need one more push to get over the finish line and WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP!
Last month you testified in support of HB 2703, a bill to require the state of Hawaii to double its food production by the year 2020. The bureaucrats and the developers hated it. But thanks to your support it survived in the House of Representatives. Now it is going to be heard on the other side: in the SenateAgriculture Committee - and one more time we need you to testify.
We’ve heard that opponents are unhappy that we’ve gotten this far and they are going to make another effort to finish us off. We need to show that a lot of people support this bill - both in writing and in person.
Why is it controversial? Think about it: If the state has to double food production in just 8 years, how could they possibly justify reclassifying the best farmland currently growing food in order to permit more suburban sprawl?
Please write to the Chair of the Committee, Senator Clarence Nishihara. You can submit testimony here and if you can spare the time please come testify in person this Tuesday at 2:45pm at the Capitol in Room 229.
Here are some of the things you could say:
§ Doubling our food production, according to a 2008 UH study, would give a $313 million jolt to the state economy, create $47 million in profits, provide $6 million in state tax revenues and create more than 2,300 jobs.
§ Hawaii currently only grows 8% to 10% of the food we eat, according to the US Department of Agriculture. This leaves us incredibly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
§ Opinion polls repeatedly show this issue is one of the top political concerns of voters in Hawaii. They also show that local people are prepared to pay a little more than for imported food because they place a premium on locally grown food.
§ A statutory goal for food production will have a galvanizing effect both on the state and on the private sector - in the same way as the Clean Energy Initiative has helped lick-start the booming alternative energy sector.
Mar 18, 2012
Rebecca B
HB 2703 needs some final help:
"Our food sustainability bill -to commit the state to double food production by 2020- has passed every committee on both sides of the Legislature leaving just minor differences between the Senate and House versions to be ironed out in a Conference Committee before final votes on the floor of both chambers. Hallelujah! Right?
Not so fast…
The Senate has appointed its Conferees. But the Speaker, Calvin Say, has not named his House reps. No House conferees, no conference. No conference, no bill. It’s that simple.
HB2703 would set the stage to press for all the things needed to spark a true food-farming renaissance in Hawaii. Things like helping farmers get leases, investing in irrigation systems, providing covered port facilities to encourage inter-island commerce, building processing and purchasing networks and revising procurement codes so institutions like the Board of Education can start buying local, investing in training and loan assistance programs, putting food stamp machines in farmers’ markets, etc, etc.
So we need a huge response.
We need everyone to contact Speaker Say and the House Ag Committee Chair, Clift Tsuji, to politely ask them to pass HB 2703 out of Conference Committee. We need the response to be bigger that at any previous stage. We need people who've never lobbied before. We need people to identify themselves – “I’m a teacher, I’m a lawyer, I’m a waiter…” to impress the Speaker with the breadth of support.
Speaker, Calvin Say
Phone 808-586-6100
E-Mail: repsay@capitol.hawaii.gov
and
House Ag Committee Chair, Clift Tsuji
Phone 808-586-8480
E-Mail: reptsuji@capitol.hawaii.gov
You don’t need to write much. A couple of lines would do. Preferably in your own words. And keep the message positive. Here’s some of the things you could say:
§ Doubling food production would give a $313 million boost to the economy, provide $6 million in state tax revenues and create more than 2,300 jobs.
§ Hawaii only grows 8% of the food we eat, according to the US Department of Agriculture. This leaves us incredibly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
§ Opinion polls show this issue is one of the top concerns of voters in Hawaii and that people are prepared to pay a little more for locally grown food.
§ A statutory goal for food production will galvanize the state and the private sector – just like the Clean Energy Initiative helped kick-start the booming alternative energy sector. "
Apr 18, 2012
Chris Smith
Coastview Aquaponics is looking for volunteer help on our farm on Saturdays. We are a small family run commercial farm that sells produce directly to our neighborhood and located on the Kona coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. We need a little help keeping up with the day to day work which usually gets put off until Saturdays when we are all around.
We will compensate your time with food sharing and aquaponics knowledge. Just being on our farm and helping you will have the opportunity to absorb a lot of information. I am always teaching how to do things we have learned over the years of running an aquaponic farm. You will need your own transportation and a willingness to get your hands dirty. I have hundreds of pictures of our farm posted on my page.
Aug 1, 2012