STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 941-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.B. No. 3051

S.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 3051, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to:

(1) Establish a state agricultural land protection program for the voluntary acquisition of agricultural easements on lands identified as important agricultural land to the State;

(2) Support continued growth of Hawaii's agricultural industry by appropriating funds to the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation for agricultural research and market development; and

(3) Appropriate funds to the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources of the University of Hawaii at Manoa (CTAHR) to maintain and expand its activity in the areas of:

(a) Research and development of high-value agricultural products and practices;

(b) Tropical forage and beef improvement to revitalize Hawaii's cattle industry;

(c) Healthy food and nutrition programs to encourage greater production and consumption of healthy, safe, and locally grown food to improve the nutritional status of Pacific people and to enhance Hawaii's food security; and

(d) Research and testing of bioremediation, which are biological methods for cleaning contaminated waters and sediments.

The Board of Advisors of CTAHR, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc., Hawaiian Host, Inc., Nalo Farms, Inc., Big Island Candies, HPC Foods. Ltd., Green Point Nurseries, Inc., Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, and several concerned individuals supported this measure in part. The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation and Maui County Farm Bureau supported this measure with amendments. Ashford & Wriston LLP, supported the intent of this measure with amendments. The Department of Agriculture and a concerned individual supported the intent of this measure, but had budgetary concerns. The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism supported the intent of this measure, but opposed it due to budgetary concerns. Protect Keopuka Ohana and a concerned individual opposed this measure. Life of the Land offered comments.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3051, S.D. 2, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs and Agriculture,

____________________________ FELIPE P. ABINSAY, JR., Chair		____________________________ EZRA R. KANOHO, Chair