STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1763-06
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2006
RE: H.C.R. No. 180
H.D. 1
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.C.R. No. 180 entitled:
"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND THE AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO SEEK FEDERAL MATCHING FUNDS FOR THE IRRIGATION REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE SPECIAL FUND,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to encourage improvements for agricultural irrigation systems by requesting the Board of Agriculture and the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) to seek federal matching funds for the Irrigation Repair and Maintenance Special Fund (Special Fund).
The Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, Meadow Gold Dairies, and Hawaii Crop Improvement Association supported this measure. The Maui County Farm Bureau, Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., and the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company supported this measure with amendments. The Department of Agriculture opposed this measure. ADC submitted comments.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Removing references to former sugarcane and pineapple plantation lands converted to diversified agriculture and clarifying that the purpose of the Special Fund is to provide for the repair and maintenance of irrigation systems used for agricultural production;
(2) Clarifying that landowners may apply for funding assistance from the Special Fund; provided that the landowner agrees to:
(A) File for designation of the majority of all lands served by the water produced by the irrigation system as important agricultural lands; and
(B) Use the majority of all lands serviced by the irrigation system for agricultural production;
and
(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for style, clarity, and consistency.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 180, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 180, H.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,
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____________________________ FELIPE P. ABINSAY, JR., Chair |
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