HI SR82

University of Hawaii, Department of Education, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, and other state public entities are requested to commit to spending 10 percent of their food dollars on locally-produced produce or other Hawaii agricultural products

Agencies are required to report to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the 2011 Regular Session on their purchases of local agricultural products and recommendations for improvements

Hawaii currently imports 85-90 percent of its food, with residents spending an estimated $3.7 billion annually on food

Replacing 10 percent of imported foods with local products would generate an estimated $188 million in economy-wide sales impact, $47 million in earnings, $6 million in state tax revenues, and more than 2,300 jobs

Additional benefits include better environmental stewardship, reduced invasive species risk, and land preservation