Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1065, S.D. 2, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to revitalize Hawaii's agricultural industry by appropriating funds for, among other things:

(2) A breeding program to provide new agricultural products;

(3) An assessment of local and export markets;

(4) The development of industry assessments; and

(5) Disease prevention programs;

provided that the appropriation is added to the base budget of the University of Hawaii (UH).

The Department of Agriculture, Board of Advisors of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, a member of the Hawaii County Council, Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Agricultural Research Center, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Big Island Farm Bureau, Big Island Candies, Inc., Aloun Farms, and Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company testified in support of this bill. The Maui County Farm Bureau supported this measure with amendments. UH supported this bill with budgetary concerns. The Hawaii Organic Farmers Association, Tropical Orchid Farm, Inc., and numerous concerned individuals opposed this measure.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1065, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1065, S.D. 2, H.D. 1.