STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1012-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: S.B. No. 2530
                                     S.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B.
No. 2530, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to authorize the issuance of
special purpose revenue bonds in a total amount not to exceed
$10,000,000 to assist Hawaii Gold Cacao Tree, Inc., in the
planning, construction, and equipping of facilities in the county
of Hawaii to process cacao beans and to manufacture and produce
cacao and chocolate products.

     Your Committee finds that with the closing of sugar
plantations on the Big Island, which resulted in loss of jobs on
the island, this new cacao industry will create new jobs to
support the development of cacao nursery and farming operation,
the marketing and sales of cacao and chocolate locally and for
export.  Your Committee further finds that of equal importance is
the utilizing of former sugar lands lain fallow with the ceasing
of sugar operations on the Big Island and a welcome opportunity
to boost the state's static economy. 

     Testimonies were received from the Board of Agriculture, the
County of Hawaii, the Hawaii Gold Cacao Tree, Inc., the Mauna Loa
Macadamia Nut Corp., and the Rural Economic Transition
Assistance-Hawaii, in support of this bill.  The Department of
Budget and Finance and the Great Pacific Chocolate Company, Inc.,
commented on this measure. 

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1012-00
                                 Page 2

 
     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
2530, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be
referred to the Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Agriculture,



                                   ______________________________
                                   FELIPE P. ABINSAY, JR., Chair