Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1556, S.D. 1, entitled:

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this bill is to increase the loan ceiling for farm ownership and improvement (Class A) loans and farm operating (Class C) loans from $400,000 to $600,000.

Your Committee on Conference finds that agriculture in Hawaii has changed over the past few years from massive sugarcane and pineapple plantations to smaller diversified farms. This bill provides these smaller farms access to more capital, thereby promoting greater opportunities for growth and expansion.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by increasing the loan ceiling for Class A and Class C loans from $600,000 to $800,000.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1556, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1556, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.