Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2272 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to assist farmers by increasing from $25,000 to $75,000, the amount of agricultural and aquacultural loans that can be approved by the chairperson of the Department of Agriculture (DOA).

DOA, the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Aquaculture Association, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Meadow Gold Dairies, and C&H Farms testified in support of 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. 2272 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.