Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 889 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to be deposited into the aquaculture loan revolving fund and agriculture loan revolving fund to provide financial assistance to aquacultural and agricultural enterprises on Kauai.

Your Committee received testimony in favor of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Kauai County Farm Bureau, and CEATECH USA.

Your Committee finds that a financial stimulus is required to assist Kauai farmers in their transition to a more diverse economy no longer centered around the sugar industry. The funds appropriated by this measure will provide assistance to start-up and existing companies for their various agricultural and aquacultural enterprises on Kauai.

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. 889 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.