Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2009 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds for the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation (HFBF) to pursue efforts in agricultural research and market development that will keep Hawaii's agricultural industry competitive in the global market.

HFBF, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Maui County Farm Bureau, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company, Gay & Robinson, Inc., East Kauai Water Users' Cooperative, Kauai Coffee Company, Maui Cattlemen's Association, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill. The Department of Agriculture and University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committee has amended this bill by removing the appropriation amount to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2009, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2009, H.D. 1.