Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2744, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Department of Agriculture to assess the economic feasibility of establishing a world-class farmers' market.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Tourism Authority, Hawaii Community Development Authority, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Hawaii Aquaculture Association, Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, North Shore Farmers, Waialua Farmers Cooperative, Waipahu Community Association, Meadow Gold Dairies, and Hawaii's Thousand Friends.

Your Committee finds that a premier farmers' market would showcase Hawaii's diverse agricultural products and benefit not only the industry, but Hawaii residents and visitors as well. Your Committee heard that the Department of Agriculture has initiated an exploratory study and finds that this measure would continue these efforts.

Your Committee has amended this measure to make the appropriation amount $200,000.

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 H.B. No. 2744, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2744, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.