Awaiting Gov. Ben Cayetano’s signature is legislation that would authorize agricultural and aquacultural loans of up to $5 million for Kaua’i. House Bill 925, House Draft 1, introduced by the three Kaua’i state representatives, would authorize the state Department of
Awaiting Gov. Ben Cayetano’s signature is legislation that would authorize agricultural and aquacultural loans of up to $5 million for Kaua’i.
House Bill 925, House Draft 1, introduced by the three Kaua’i state representatives, would authorize the state Department of Agriculture through its agriculture loan revolving fund and aquaculture loan revolving fund to offer the loans, at not less than 3 percent interest rates, as a way to encourage agriculture and aquaculture in the wake of the demise of Amfac Sugar Kaua’i operations on the island late last year.
“The Legislature finds that a financial stimulus is required to assist businesses on Kaua’i to replace the sugar industry as an employer and economic force. A method of providing this stimulus is to provide assistance to start up or expand agriculture and aquaculture enterprises,” states the bill introduced by Reps. Bertha Kawakami, Ezra Kanoho and Mina Morita.
Another bill scheduled for a conference committee meeting last Wednesday would appropriate money to the state Agribusiness Development Corporation for the uninterrupted operation and maintenance of irrigation systems at Kekaha and on the east side, for a period of one year, to foster the establishment of diversified agriculture on the former Amfac lands.
The irrigation systems had been maintained by Amfac when the company was still in sugar.
“These areas are served by four extensive irrigation supply, storage and distribution systems,” according to House Bill 861, Senate Draft 2. “Upon closure, continued maintenance of these systems is critical for the transition to diversified agriculture,” the legislation states.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
