Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 293 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds for the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to assess the economic feasibility of establishing a world-class farmers' market in Hawaii. In addition, this bill requires DOA to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than December 31, 2003.

The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Aquaculture Association, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, and Meadow Gold Dairies testified in support of this measure. DOA and the Agribusiness Development Corporation supported the intent of this bill.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the appropriation amount to $1 to promote further discussion on this measure.

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. 293, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 293, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.