THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	377
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to food.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  Agriculture is one of the three major industries in Hawaii.  The State is home to some of the world's best agricultural land and produces high-quality farm products.  Due to the absence of a large-scale food manufacturing industry in Hawaii, between 10 per cent and 30 per cent of second-grade or processing-grade farm products are not sold.  Most are ploughed back into the fields.

     A plan for a food innovation center has been developed by Kapiolani community college, and the first phase is currently being implemented with federal funding.  The first phase involves the installation of a small scale test kitchen with a team of food scientists, nutritionists, and culinarians to create sample healthy bulk-processed food products utilizing seconds or processing-grade farm products.  This small-scale demonstration project will produce sample recipes and develop technology for adding value to local seconds or processing-grade farm products.

     The second phase of the Kapiolani community college plan is to create a model healthy food production plant with multiple production lines in a kitchen facility of twenty thousand square feet.  This incubator and pilot production plant will be able to produce a variety of products with highly efficient technology, including cook-chilled bulk sauce, stew, chili, fresh-cut and custom-packaged fruits and vegetables, bottled dressing and preserves, and packaged, frozen, or chilled healthy food items.  The food innovation center will also employ up-to-date sustainable technology for maximum utilization of solar-powered energy and state-of-the-art food waste recycling.

     The Kapiolani community college food innovation center will purchase seconds and processing-grade local farm products in bulk, offering farmers a new revenue stream and a long-term market.  Custom-designed healthy bulk-food products will be produced, with total control of nutritional content, for schools, hospitals, prisons, and the military at reasonable costs.  Hawaii's school children, seniors, and military members will benefit from nutritious meals made with fresh, local farm produce.  The technology employed ensures that the nutritional integrity of the re-thermalized products will meet the specific nutritional needs of the consumers of each market segment.  Because the menus for institutional food services are planned one to two years ahead, farmers can grow to the demand created by the menu plans.

     The total cost of designing and installing a production plant in an existing twenty thousand square foot kitchen is $10,000,000 dollars.  Designing, planning, and outfitting the electrical, plumbing, waste management, and other infrastructure will cost $1,000,000.  The funding for subsequent stages of development will be obtained from a combination of federal grants, foundation grants, and private products development and production contracts.

     The purpose of this Act is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriate funds for the design and construction of a food innovation center to produce prepared meals using locally grown food for organizations that need large quantities of meals on a daily basis.

     SECTION 2.  The director of finance is authorized to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of $1,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary is appropriated for fiscal year 2015-2016 for the purpose of designing and constructing a food innovation center to produce prepared meals using locally grown food for organizations that need large quantities of meals on a daily basis.

     SECTION 3.  The appropriation made for the capital improvement project authorized by this Act shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal biennium for which the appropriation is made; provided that all moneys from the appropriation unencumbered as of June 30, 2018, shall lapse as of that date.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2015.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Food Innovation Center; Kapiolani Community College; Locally Grown Food; Food Processing; Prepared Meals; School Lunches; GO Bond; Appropriation

 

Description:

Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriates funds for a food innovation center to be operated by Kapiolani community college for the purpose of utilizing processing-grade, locally grown farm products to manufacture prepared meals in a large-scale kitchen.

 

 

 

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