Hawaii likely to
get ag funding

A federal spending bill targets
local programs to get $15.6 million

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Associated Press

Hawaii's agricultural programs will receive $15.6 million under a bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee, U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye said yesterday.

The funding is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2002. The bill is up for consideration by the full Senate.

"These initiatives will improve the Hawaii agriculture industry's ability to compete with growers worldwide," said Inouye. "The future of our islands' agriculture sector is promising. Taken as a whole, these programs will enhance local producers' economic viability."

Pending final approval, more than $3.8 million will go to tropical and subtropical agriculture research. These programs are designed to prevent and control invasive alien species and conduct studies that benefit growers in the Pacific region.

The U.S. Pacific Basin Agriculture Resource Center would receive $3.6 million for construction and research, with the center to be built at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

Tropical aquaculture research would receive nearly $1.6 million. The goal of that program is to enhance the domestic industry's global competitiveness.

Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions would get $1.5 million to strengthen educational and research activities at universities and colleges that serve native Hawaiians.

The remaining 13 grants would all be under $1 million, including $240,000 to control the rodent population in agricultural areas.