Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs and Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2595, H.D. 1, entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate moneys for the enhancement of agricultural tourism venues.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Agriculture, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.

Your Committees find that agricultural tourism is an important component in efforts to diversify and expand tourism in Hawaii, as well as a means of providing financial opportunities for the agricultural community.

Your Committees believe that while the Department of Agriculture does promote Hawaii's agricultural industry and products, marketing agricultural tourism would be more appropriate as part of the Hawaii Tourism Authority's overall marketing efforts.

Your Committees have amended this measure accordingly, to appropriate $500,000 from the tourism special fund, to be expended by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2595, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2595, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.