Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Saturday, September 17, 2016
Strong leadership is needed to promote agricultural growth
By Keli'i Akina PhD @ 12:01 AM :: 5477 Views :: Agriculture, GMOs

From Grassroot Institute, September 16, 2016

When it comes to spurring economic growth in Hawaii, you can find general agreement that it's important to encourage successful industries in our state. And there's little partisan disagreement over the idea that we should foster and expand agriculture. But do people really know where our strengths lie in the agriculture sector?

A new report from Dr. Paul Brewbaker and the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association reveals some fascinating data about the history and future of Hawaii agriculture. It shows that one of the most promising avenues may be somewhat unexpected. It's not pineapple or sugar cane, but seeds.

Hawaii's modern seed industry is nearly 50 years old, and it now represents the largest single agriculture activity in the state. Though it fell slightly from its high of $240 million in 2010-2012 to $150 million in 2016, the influence of the seed industry in Hawaii is significant. It's estimated that it produces approximately $323 million in total economic impact per year. That means that Kauai, Oahu, and Maui/Molokai each saw a more than $100 million in GDP from the seed industry alone.

And the seed industry isn't the only one to impress. Aquaculture has been growing and just surpassed livestock as the second largest agriculture activity in the state. Both these industries have shown stability and promise. Seed in particular is a biotech industry that attracts skilled workers and results in a beneficial ratio of economic value-added per job. And Hawaii's aquaculture resources have the potential of making us a global center for technology-infused agriculture. By promoting existing technology-based industries, we may see the benefit of advances in one sector spilling over to help revive livestock and foster diversified agriculture.

However, all of agriculture can be held back by regulation, politics, and policies that favor new industries over established ones--regardless of past success.

This is the problem when government gets involved in choosing which industries to promote via tax breaks and incentives. The seed industry and aquaculture are clearly areas the state should prioritize given their growth potentials and unlimited global markets. Everything should be done to unleash the power of the free market to develop this new economic center.

In part, that means adopting policies that will encourage growth in these sectors. It also means cutting red tape and "getting the government out of the way." Moreover, in recent years, Hawaii's farmers are increasingly the subject of political activism. From anti-GMO activists to land use and taxation issues, the threats to agriculture are constant and distracting.

What is needed is strong political leadership. Governor Ige has indicated that he wants to see an agricultural boom in our state. This is the perfect time for him to follow through. It isn't the role of government to decide which agriculture sectors are going to thrive. Instead, we should make it possible for the free market to raise our most successful industries to greater heights. If we want agriculture to grow, our political leadership must courageously challenge the threats of growing federal and state regulation as well as ideological and uninformed activism.

E hana kakou (Let's work together!),

Keli'i Akina, Ph.D.

President/CEO

Grassroot Institute

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT