Category Archives: Government

Government

Rebuilding The Agricultural Inspection System in Hawaii

I got a note from Laurie Au at Governor Abercrombie’s office today:

Aloha Richard,

I hope you’re doing well. Today, Governor Abercrombie presented his administration’s budget to the state Legislature. You may have read some news stories about the budget, but I wanted to point out a proposal to you that might interest you.

In his budget, the Governor restores many critical government functions in order to best serve the most basic public needs. One of those proposals includes:

Rebuilding the agricultural inspection system to prevent the introduction of invasive species that damage our environment and agricultural industry.

The Governor is trying to restore a functioning government and make the best use of limited resources in order to secure Hawaii’s future, but we need your help. While the governor will be making more of a concerted effort to speak to legislators, community groups, and the public on his initiatives, we need more people to speak out as well.

Would you be willing to:

  • Set up meeting with legislators
  • Write letters to legislators
  • Media campaign – write letters to the editors, opinion pieces, talk to reporters, use social media.
  • Reach out to your networks letting them know about this specific proposal and asking them to help as well.

I’m willing to provide whatever background you may need on this proposal and to help write any material you may need. Thanks so much for your help and consideration, and if there is anyone else you think would be interested in helping, please let me know. We’re doing our best to reach out to as many people as possible.

Mahalo,
Laurie

Laurie Au
Deputy Communications Director
Office of the Governor

I let Laurie know that I’ll support this effort any way I can:

The agricultural inspection system is very important. It keeps invasive species out, lowering costs of control for farmers as well as protecting our environment. Also, catching contaminated produce when it arrives, and charging the cost to the proper entity, sends the proper price signal to farmers.

Food security involves farmers farming — and we know that if the farmer makes money, the farmer will farm. This initiative will help farmers make money/save money.

I’ll start spreading the word and asking for people’s help. Send me any supplemental information that you may have. I’ll be in touch.

Aloha
Richard

Geothermal, Government, Peak Oil

Support HB 1257 By Sending Testimony

We could use your support.

HB 1257 is going to be heard by Rep. Herkes’ Consumer Protection Committee.

Read the bill here. Here is where I discussed the bill.

Send testimony in support of HB 1257 to CPCtestimony@Capitol.hawaii.gov. It should be less than five pages in length; couple sentences plenty.

This bill’s essential elements are simple. It requires the PUC to consider the following three factors when it issues approvals for electricity generation:

  1. Consider the technology as to its effectiveness
  2. Consider the amounts of greenhouse gases emitted
  3. Consider the costs to the rate payers compared to alternatives.

Persons wishing to offer comments should submit testimony at least 24 hours prior to the February 2nd hearing with a transmittal cover indicating:

  • Testifier’s name, with position/title and organization
  • The committee the comments are directed to (the Consumer Protection Committee)
  • The date and time of the hearing (Feb 2, 2011 at 2:05 p.m.)
  • Measure number: HB 1257

Please send this to your friends, too. Mahalo.

Geothermal, Government

HB 1257: ‘A Bill For An Act Relating to Public Utilities’

2 Comments

I introduced legislation relating to energy to the legislature, HB 1257, and I did it as an individual. Although I polled the Geothermal Working Group members for their thoughts, this legislation was not endorsed or submitted by the group. The Geothermal Working Group was not formed to do legislation.

It is true that I am involved in Ku‘oko‘a, the group that is buying HEI. But they do not even know of this legislation. This idea is something that I have been working on for years.

We all know that for the past 20 to 30 years, the world has been using twice as much oil as it has been finding. Reputable agencies such as Lloyds of London, the International Energy Association, the German military and our own Department of Defense are warning that the oil supply is not endless and the era of cheap oil is over. It will have serious economic consequences to us living on islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. We do not have time to waste.

We must transition our electrical base power in a smart way. On the Big Island, we do have proven technology that is friendly to the climate as well as inexpensive.

The essential elements of the legislation are very simple and straightforward. HB 1257 directs the PUC to consider the following criteria when considering an application to supply the utility with electricity:

Screen shot 2011-01-29 at 11.53.17 AM

Food Security, Government, Hamakua Coast

A Possible Template For Rural America – Right Here In Hamakua

One of the exciting things going on right now in Ag is taking place right here on the Hamakua Coast.

The Pacific Basin Ag Research Center (PBARC) is supporting a zero waste program that will help farmers in a very practical way.

It’s an ongoing program involving the Pa‘auilo slaughterhouse and anaerobic digestion. Waste from the slaughterhouse will generate gas and fertilizer by-products. It will increase the slaughter capacity of the facility and reduce/remove the problem of burying the waste. This helps ranchers save/make money.

As we all know, food security involves farmers farming. And if the farmer makes money, the farmer will farm. Save money, make money. They are the opposite sides of the same coin.

PBARC is exploring the possibility of using heterotrophic algae to generate oil, which eats plant waste instead of photosynthesizes it. This system is scalable so that small entities can use the resulting product. This is hopefully an alternative to industrial scale biofuel production, which cannot operate without subsidies and which is, up to this point, unsustainable. The waste product from this operation, hopefully, will end up as animal/fish feed.

PBARC is hiring specialists in the area of practical, value-added food technology. The emphasis will be on first level conversion, so that farmers can use their throwaways or divert production in case of oversupply. The idea is to convert farm products into forms usable by the military and the food procurement system for schools, etc.

If the farmer makes money, the farmer will farm.

At Hamakua Springs, we are using our abundant water supply to sustain oxygenation for our fish. We use falling water for oxygenation instead of energy. With the aid of PBARC scientists, and using our farm waste as food for the (vegetarian) fish, as prices rise ours will, sooner or later, become competitive with imported fish.

If the farmer makes money, the farmer will farm.

The Federal government is supporting this PBARC program as a possible template for rural America.

What I like about it is that it’s practical on the farm level. And, most importantly, it puts the control of individual, group and community destinies into their own hands. And that is what gives people hope.

Government, Schools

Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act Also Helps Farmers

The Packer recently wrote about the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act:

Child nutrition bill is a ‘historic win’

Published on 12/02/2010 06:41PM

Legislation that seeks to transform school meals in large part by adding more fruits and vegetables has passed Congress.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act reauthorizes federal child nutrition programs. The Senate passed the bill in August and the House approved it Dec. 2 by a margin 264 to 157.

The bill was sent to President Obama for his signature, the first major legislation to clear the lame duck session of Congress.

The act increases federal reimbursement for school lunches by six cents per meal, the first increase in more than 30 years. The addition is tied to increased servings of food consistent with dietary guidelines, including fruits and vegetables. Read more

In addition to being good for our nation’s school kids, this Act will help Hawai‘i’s farmers sell produce to Hawai‘i’s school system.

This is something concrete that will help farmers make money. And, as we know: If the farmers make money, farmers will farm.

Government

Richard Applying for Senate Seat

4 Comments

There’s some news around here.

With our new governor Neil Abercrombie having just tapped Senator Russell Kokubun for his new cabinet, that state senate seat is available – and Richard is putting his name in for it.

“It’s an appointed position, so I won’t have to shake hands and kiss babies,” says Richard.

Joking aside, though, he is serious about it. We had a conversation about it, and I share it here:

Leslie: How does this work? What is the process?

Richard: The Democratic party will send up three names from Senator Kokubun’s district for the governor’s consideration. If I’m lucky, I make one of those three. The governor makes the appointment.

There will be a bunch of folks applying, so we’ll just see how it turns out. I’ve thought about it and I’ve talked to June and the rest of the family, and for all of us this feels like something we can do.

Leslie: It’s interesting that you say something “we” can do.

Richard: You know, we work as a family, and as a team. Everyone needs to feel comfortable, like they could do their part at the farm if I’m not there as often. Do I need to be there? Do they feel okay about it? We have to do this as a family. Everybody stepped up and said, “We can do it, we can handle.” I’m really grateful to June and the rest of the family.

Leslie: What sort of feedback are you getting?

Richard: It’s kind of surprising how much support I’ve received, from so many people. It’s overwhelming, actually. It’s humbling.

Leslie: How did you decide to do this?

Richard: Really, it’s my workers. They want more for their family, and their kids. More than being a banana farmer, and I can understand that. I empathize with that. Everybody wants better for their family.

You know, the world is changing because of this oil thing. It’s so clear to me. It’s much more serious than most of us know. So this is a real important time. If it wasn’t this particular time in history, I wouldn’t do it. It’s not about being a politician.

It’s so very important we cope in the best possible way. And I can tell you about this as it applies to Hawaiian culture. A lot of the dissatisfaction in modern Hawaiian history has to do with the culture giving giving giving and the economy taking taking taking. At some point, people start to say, Enough is enough.

We’re at the point in history that if we make the right decision – in terms of getting away from oil and using our geothermal resource – the economy can give give give and the culture can receive receive receive.

We really don’t have much time to accomplish what we need to accomplish. That’s what is driving me to go and shape policy.

We can guide policy to take us to a place where we can achieve these goals. It is pretty clear what we’ve got to do. Not that it’s easy, but we have to do it. And what is really exciting is that there’s a possibility of accomplishing this for our future generations.

I’m not stressed about not knowing everything. I’m a quick learner. There’s no doubt in my mind that I can learn all the stuff I need to learn, fast. I’m supremely confident. I guess it has to do with, Am I willing to do it? I am.

Leslie: What else are you thinking about?

Richard: One of the most important things about being a senator is being on O‘ahu and being able to educate people on the stuff I know about it. It can influence policy, if people know the issues. I know farming, and I know energy.

It would be kind of novel to have an actual farmer there, I believe. If I think about the whole Senate and House, I don’t know of a true farmer there. I would be a real farmer talking about food security. I think that’s kind of important.

If we plan to plant stuff, to make liquid energy, well, I know the farming end of it. There aren’t very many times that the farmer has an opportunity to say what the considerations are from the farming side. For example, what is the consequence of planting thousands of acres to make biofuels? How much water, what kind of land, what about rain and muddiness and steep slopes? – the really practical things that farmers know about.

Leslie: So, farming, energy….

Richard: It’s clear to me what my focus would be. I would love to be on a committee that has to do with ag, water, Hawaiian affairs or energy. Other things I can learn, but those things I know about. I definitely know about those.

One ability I have is to break down complex subjects into their simple components. That’s what I do naturally. That’s what I like to do, and it’s what I do.

And beyond that, this is not rocket science we’re talking about. We’re talking about things that happen to people. The final effect of everything you do is asking yourself what is going to happen to real people. Are we getting so complex that we get lost in the doing and we forget what actually happens on the ground? For me, it’s not very complex.

Food Security, Government

Food Safety Legislation Passes the Senate

The Food Safety bill I wrote about yesterday passed the Senate Tuesday. This is a good step. Now it’s on to the House.

From NPR’s Health blog:

Senate Passes Sweeping Food Safety Bill, House Up Next

November 30, 2010

by APRIL FULTON

It sure took a while, but the Senate today passed the first major bill to strengthen food safety protections in 70 years. By current partisan standards, the 73-25 vote in favor of the bill was a landslide.

But before changes to the nation’s system for safeguarding food become law, the Senate bill still has to get through the House, which passed its own food safety bill nearly a year and half ago….

 Read the rest here.

Food Security, Government

Food Safety Legislation

There is food safety legislation in the pipeline, which would have increased costs to smaller farmers when they are the most vulnerable.

Let’s encourage new and small farmers to become larger farmers. Let’s not kill them off before they can get started.

Remember: Food Security has to do with farmers farming. If farmers make money, farmers will farm.

A revised amendment by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. (see below), which exempts smaller operations from some requirements under the legislation, was included in the final bill presented for debate. I think this amendment, which helps small farmers, is reasonable.

From today’s New York Times:

OP-ED CONTRIBUTORS

A Stale Food Fight

By MICHAEL POLLAN and ERIC SCHLOSSER

Published: November 28, 2010

THE best opportunity in a generation to improve the safety of the American food supply will come as early as Monday night, when the Senate is scheduled to vote on the F.D.A. Food Safety Modernization bill. This legislation is by no means perfect. But it promises to achieve several important food safety objectives, greatly benefiting consumers without harming small farmers or local food producers.

The bill would, for the first time, give the F.D.A., which oversees 80 percent of the nation’s food, the authority to test widely for dangerous pathogens and to recall contaminated food. The agency would finally have the resources and authority to prevent food safety problems, rather than respond only after people have become ill. The bill would also require more frequent inspections of large-scale, high-risk food-production plants…. Read the rest here

Both national produce trade associations and 17 other fruit and vegetable industry groups said, on November 18, that they were forced to oppose the Senate food safety bill because of the Tester language being folded into the main bill.

Tester Amendment – Qualified Exemptions

Food facilities would qualify for an exemption from the preventive control/Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point provisions in section 103 of S. 510 if:

            • They are defined as a “very small business” under FDA rule making or under certain conditions:

            • The average annual monetary value of all food sold by the facility during the previous three-year period was less than $500,000, if the majority of the food sold by that facility was sold directly to consumers, restaurants or grocery stores in the same state or within 275 miles of the facility.  Source: Senate Health Committee

When things go wrong on large, industrial-sized farms, lots of people are affected. If something goes wrong on a tiny farm, few people are affected. We need resilience and redundancy in our food supply; we should not depend on a handful of large farms.

This is why we need to support small farms.

Geothermal, Government, Renewable Energy Sources

Abercrombie, Shatz and Leadership

As I write this, the first Election Day printouts are in and it looks like Neil Abercrombie and Brian Shatz have an insurmountable lead for the Governorship and Lieutenant Governorship of Hawai‘i.

We are truly at a crossroads in human history, and it is going to take real leadership to lead all of us to greener pastures. I have all the confidence in the world in Neil Abercrombie’s leadership abilities. He will take us there!

In terms of renewable energy, we must utilize our natural resources to their maximum potential. What we have here on the Big Island is truly extraordinary. While the rest of the world is fearful of a decline in available energy, we here in Hawai‘i have the most powerful energy source available to us. It is geothermal.

What if we could connect all the islands to this energy? What if we all shared, so everybody on every island pays the same low amount? What if this cost would hardly rise?

And what if this source of energy would last 500,000 to a million years? Wouldn’t we fix whatever it is that’s holding us back?

I feel good about Abercrombie and Shatz being elected, and confident that we will take the right path to the future.

For the sake of future generations: Not, no can. CAN!