DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE:

U.S. Pacific Basin Agriculture Resource Center
Construction, $5 million
Research, $500,000
The Center will address the agricultural concerns of growers in tropical and subtropical environments such as Hawaii and U.S. territories in the Pacific. Construction funds will be used to build the Center at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. The Center will consist of laboratory, quarantine, and aquaculture facilities. Last year, the Center received $4.5 million in construction funds. The research funds will be used to identify industry needs and transfer technologies developed at the Center.

Tropical and Subtropical Research, $3.862 million
The funds will be distributed through the Pacific Basin and Caribbean Basin Administrative Groups. This initiative is necessary because the agricultural challenges and opportunities in the U.S. tropical and subtropical regions are varied and unique to these areas. These funds will be used to continue programs that address challenges such as dealing with year-round growing seasons and controlling alien pests. Researchers also hope to develop novel and value-added products.

Tropical Aquaculture Research, $1.603 million
These funds will be used by the Oceanic Institute of Hawaii to continue to develop and disseminate new and improved aquatic feeds and feeding technologies. This program is "systems-oriented," meaning it brings together genetic, health, and nutrition principles into a production and harvesting system that has zero environmental impact. Senator Inouye believes this initiative will enhance the global competitiveness of the domestic aquaculture industry.

Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, $1.5 million
The funding is part of a $3 million appropriation for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions. The funds will be used to strengthen educational and research activities at universities and colleges that serve Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians.

Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, $950,000
Funds will be used by the Center to maintain the competitiveness of U.S. sugarcane producers and to support the expansion of new Hawaii crops and products. Last year, the Center received an appropriation of $936,000.

Wildlife Services Office: Pest and Disease Management, $700,000
This funding will support the newly-created Wildlife Service State Office in Hawaii. This office acts as a liaison between the U.S. Wildlife Service and Hawaii Department of Agriculture, and is focused on controlling alien animal pests in Hawaii and the U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands.

Pineapple Nematode and Papaya Ringspot, $600,000
Of this $600,000 appropriation, $300,000 will be used by the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to continue its efforts to monitor and control the papaya ringspot virus, and to apply similar techniques to other pest problems in Hawaii. The remaining $300,000 will be used by the Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii to develop pineapple cultivars that are resistant to nematodes and mealy bug wilt disease.

Agriculture Development in American Pacific, $564,000
Funding will support the research and outreach activities of the five Land Grant institutions in the American Pacific. Recent accomplishments include developing a cost-effective swine breeding technique and introducing virus-resistant banana cultivars.

Minor Crop Pest Control, $285,000
These funds will be used by the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to develop environmentally compatible methods to control pests and diseases in tropical and subtropical agricultural systems.

Nontoxic Fruit Fly Control, $278,200
These funds will be used to devise effective and nontoxic methods to control Tephritid fruit flies in Hawaii, thereby minimizing the impact of these alien pests on diversified agriculture. This initiative also strives to minimize the risk of infesting the U.S. mainland, where the fruit flies could cause an estimated $1 billion annually in damage. Next year, researchers will test Spinosad, a promising eradication compound.

Molokai Agricultural Development, $250,000
Funding has been provided to continue support of agricultural development and resource conservation projects on Molokai. Thus far, the Native Hawaiian homestead community and the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service have used federal funds to support farming on the island, which suffers from high unemployment rates. Farmers are working together to develop and improve community irrigation systems, pastures, and processing facilities.

Floriculture Research, $250,000
These funds will be used by the floriculture industry to develop high-yielding disease- and insect-resistant cultivars, and to develop and implement an aggressive global marketing strategy. The tropical cut flower and foliage industry has been one of the most important growth segments in Hawaii's agriculture sector.

Rodent Control, $240,000
This funding has been provided for an initiative to control rodents in active agricultural areas. On-going drought conditions and pest control measures in conservation lands have driven rodent populations to irrigated areas such as sugar cane fields and macadamia nut orchards.

Hawaii Plant Materials Center, $200,000
The funds will be used to revegetate Kahoolawe with native species. The Center's restoration activities support the federal clean up of the island, which was used for target practice for 50 years by the U.S. Navy, and will facilitate the start-up of native plant nurseries. Restoring Kahoolawe's native plant species is a high priority for ecological and cultural reasons.

Subterranean Termite, $143,000
This funding will be used to develop effective and environmentally safe methods of termite control in Hawaii and the American Pacific. This initiative is necessary because comparable techniques generated on the U.S. mainland are seldom directly applicable to Pacific Island conditions.

Agricultural Diversification, $131,000
These funds will be used to continue efforts to expand diversified agriculture in Hawaii. Activities will focus on developing efficient post-harvest handling and processing methods for different fruits and vegetables. Plans for the coming year also include developing food safety protocols for new businesses.

Aquaculture Research: Multicropping Strategies, $127,000
This funding will be used to restore and commercialize ancient Hawaiian fishponds. Plans for the coming year include utilizing water quality data to determine critical production parameters.