Whereas, the number of individuals entering farming, fishing and forestry is declining steadily; and

Whereas, natural resource-based industries are nonmobile industries rooted in the culture and ecology of the State, placing the State in a unique position; now, therefore, be it further

Sec. 1. Business development; education programs. Resolved: That the State Planning Office shall submit a report to the Second Regular Session of the 119th Legislature by January 1, 2000 that:

1. Examines the resources available to business development and specifically how funds are dedicated to development in the natural resource-based industries. The report must specifically review the proportions of dollars spent on economic development and the percentage of those dollars that are aimed at natural resource-based industries. The report must also include an analysis of the proportions spent on fishing, farming and forestry and propose a plan to make those proportions more equitable;

2. Analyzes existing education programs and the status of workforce wages and benefits and the average age and availability of workers to fill the current needs of natural resource-based industries; and

3. Develops a proposal based on the analysis pursuant to subsection 2 to establish education programs for secondary and postsecondary schools, including vocational and technical college systems, with the aim of increasing the number of trained entrants into the natural resource-based industries.

SUMMARY

This resolve directs the State Planning Office to develop a report that:

1. Proposes ways to ensure that state resources dedicated to natural resource-based industries are equitable with state resources dedicated to other business development;

2. Analyzes the current needs of the workforce for natural resource-based industries and the education programs that service this workforce; and