STAND. COM. REP. NO.2926
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2002
RE: H.B. No. 2172
H.D. 1
S.D. 1
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2002
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Agriculture and Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2172, H.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the research and development of high-value agriculture products and biotechnology, the creation and adoption of agricultural management practices that protect Hawaii's environment, and for the development of the agribusiness incubator initiative.
Testimony supporting this measure was received from the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Maui County Farm Bureau, Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference, Green Point Nurseries, Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar, Hawaii Forest Industry Association, Hawaiian Host, Kilauea Agronomics, LLC, Tropical Hawaiian Products, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, and Hawaii Food Industry Association.
Your Committees find that the State has a constitutional obligation to conserve and protect agricultural lands, promote diversified agriculture, increase agricultural self sufficiency, and assure the availability of agriculturally suitable lands. To fulfill these duties, the State should support efforts that lead to progress and innovation in Hawaii's agriculture industry. Positive economic progress in this industry leads to economic gains to the State as a whole. Your Committees find that this measure provides the support necessary to allow Hawaii's agriculture industry to compete and succeed in the global marketplace.
Your Committees amended this measure by specifying that the appropriation amount shall be $1,000,000, to be utilized as follows:
(1) $500,000 for the continued research and development of high-value agricultural products, biotechnology research and development, and the creation and adoption of agricultural management practices that protect Hawaii's environment; and
(2) $500,000 for the development of the agribusiness incubator initiative.
In addition, your Committees clarified that if one hundred thousand acres of underutilized land were put into productive use there could be an additional $1,700,000,000 to $4,000,000,000 injected into the State's economy.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2172, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2172, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Education,
____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair |
____________________________ JAN YAGI BUEN, Chair |
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