WHEREAS, from the sacred union of Papa and Wākea came Hāloanakalaukapalili, the kalo, the progenitor and elder brother to Hawaiians, and Hāloa, the first man, who together represent the ties binding heaven and earth; and

WHEREAS, kalo was the initial source of substantial nutrition for the early Hawaiians without which the early people of Hawaii could not have thrived and possibly not have survived as a population in Ka Pae ‘Āina; and

WHEREAS, the kinship story of Hāloa and Hāloanakalaukapalili binds the descendants of Hāloa in a reciprocal relationship of kuleana of malama ‘āina; and

WHEREAS, no other Hawaiian staple crop, including ‘uala, mai‘a or ‘ulu, is considered as sacred as kalo to the people of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, kalo supported and elevated everyday inter-personal relationships among the early people and their spiritual connections to the islands; and

WHEREAS, kalo is further esteemed as a primary food source that continues to provide substantial nutritional value; and

WHEREAS, protection of Hawaiian culture, history, and spirituality are reflected in the protection of kalo and the specific agricultural systems in which kalo is grown throughout the islands; and

WHEREAS, the reciprocal relationship between kalo farms and communities across the Hawaiian islands continues to improve social and familial bonds, intellectual achievements, cultural connections, and emotional and physical health of state residents; and

WHEREAS, by the arrival of the first Europeans in 1778, Hawaiians had developed one of the most advanced systems of wet and dry kalo cultivation in the Pacific, feeding a population of more than three hundred thousand; and

WHEREAS, the number of acres under wetland kalo production islandwide has fallen dramatically from some thirty thousand acres in 1850 to approximately five hundred acres today; and

WHEREAS, kalo became the state plant in 2008 in honor of the cultural, historic, and agricultural significance of kalo to Hawaii and its people; and

WHEREAS, the Taro Security and Purity Task Force was created by Act 211, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, to guide policy and research kalo and kalo farming as well as to support the vitality, economic viability, and perpetuation of kalo and kalo farming in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, the Governor's 2010 comprehensive plan "A New Day in Hawaii" called for an "agricultural renaissance" to improve food security, boost local jobs and revenue, and decrease dependence on importation; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii imports approximately two million pounds of kalo annually from China, Mexico, and other Pacific islands; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii is subject to frequent and chronic shortages of kalo, lu‘āu leaf, and poi, particularly following natural disasters, due to insufficient commercial supply and insufficient kalo production; and

WHEREAS, the importation of kalo presents a high risk of invasive pest introduction and diseases capable of threatening kalo cultivation and reduces opportunities for numerous young kalo growers to drive local kalo production and naturally reduce state dependency on kalo importation; and

WHEREAS, in 2013, the Department of Agriculture identified the lack of locally grown, staple starch crops as the most pressing concern for Hawaii's food security; and

WHEREAS, kalo, as one of the highest yielding starch crops per acre in Hawaii, is a key factor in addressing this need for local staple starch production, along with other Hawaiian food crops; and

WHEREAS, even the lowest sea level rise estimates indicate the likelihood of inundation of unsuitable, brackish water in lowland areas that produce the bulk of locally grown kalo, including Hanalei, Kauai; Keanae-Wailuanui, Maui; Hālawa, Molokai; and Waipio, Hawaii Island; and

WHEREAS, the production and consumption of kalo and poi significantly factor into a healthy Hawaiian diet and overall healthy lifestyle of the state population; and

WHEREAS, community-wide practices involving healthy diets and lifestyles lead to the reduction of diabetes and heart disease within the State, which in turn leads to reduced demands on the state healthcare system; and

WHEREAS, despite the many benefits of kalo and its significance in Hawaii, the amount of kalo produced and kalo-growing lands available in each ahupua‘a continue to limit capacity for change due to existing shortages of available lands; and

WHEREAS, perpetuating and expanding kalo production in Hawaii contribute to resilient communities and an overall policy of "pono economics"; and

WHEREAS, the "pono economics" policy seeks to:

(1) Implement economic initiatives reflecting and reinforcing traditional Hawaiian values;

(2) Repair ecological balance to achieve social balance; and

(3) Protect the rights and interests of future generations; and

WHEREAS, the voices of a younger generation that desire to grow kalo are increasing every year, and it is the kuleana of this body to protect the foundation of, and lay the groundwork for, their success; and

WHEREAS, the Taro Security and Purity Task Force's 2010 and 2014 reports to the Legislature outlined eighty-seven strategic recommendations organized in seven broad categories, noted key policy issues, and identified partner organizations and state agencies capable of implementing the recommended initiatives; and

WHEREAS, the Taro Security and Purity Task Force has helped strengthen relationships among kalo farmers, researchers, and state agencies, especially around issues of water and land, educational outreach, pest control, and the preservation of Hawaiian cultivars; and

WHEREAS, the Taro Security and Purity Task Force has supported, through policy and education, the growth of subsistence and small-scale kalo farmers as an under-represented but valuable segment of the agricultural industry; and

WHEREAS, the Taro Security and Purity Task Force dissolves on June 30, 2015; and

WHEREAS, an online petition recently initiated by the public has collected more than one thousand seven hundred signatures supporting retaining the task force in some form not yet determined to continue to advocate for taro issues at the public agency and legislative level and to facilitate and implement the Taro Security and Purity Task Force's recommendations, further highlighting the urgency and value of perpetuating kalo for the greater community; and

WHEREAS, the one thousand seven hundred signatories supporting the continuance of a transparent entity to follow the Taro Security and Purity Task Force highlights the urgency of increased protective measures and the value of perpetuating kalo cultivation and consumption for the greater community; and

WHEREAS, the taro community wishes to establish a body that will embrace a broad constituency of taro growers while continuing to move toward fulfilling the recommendations of the Taro Security and Purity Task Force's 2010 report to the Legislature, especially the need to protect wetland taro lands, and that will enable the body to receive and distribute funds in support of the recommendations; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2015, the House of Representatives concurring, that this body acknowledges the positive impact of the work of the Taro Security and Purity Task Force and the role it has played for the taro growing community and cultural continuity; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body supports the reformation of the Taro Security and Purity Task Force as a legislatively enabled body, should the taro farming community determine the need to do so; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if reformed, the body is requested to continue to work with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and Department of Agriculture to determine the most appropriate agency relationship; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, and Taro Security and Purity Task Force.

Report Title:

Taro Security and Purity Task Force; Taro Protection

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	171
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII