Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2913 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

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

Testimony supporting this measure was received from the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Tourism Authority, County of Hawaii Department of Research and Development, Hawaii Island Economic Development Board, and the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.

Your Committees find that Hawaii's agriculture industry is blossoming as agricultural enterprises diversify. One promising area of the agricultural industry is agricultural tourism. These innovative ventures create new economic opportunities for Hawaii's farmers and allow them to maximize the economic potential of their agricultural lands. This measure provides the necessary funds to further stimulate the agricultural tourism industry in Hawaii.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

To ensure the success of this program, your Committees encourage the Departments of Agriculture and Land and Natural Resources to conduct informational and training sessions with the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the community on Hawaii's agriculture industry.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2913, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2913, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.