STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1118

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 1899

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 1899, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to promote exports of locally-produced Rainbow papaya by appropriating funds for the development of guidelines and a marketing plan to obtain export clearances for the Rainbow papaya to Japan and other countries.

The University of Hawaii Center for Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics Initiative, Hawaii Papaya Industry Association, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Big Island Farm Bureau, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, and a concerned individual supported this bill. The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism supported the intent of this measure. The Hawaii Organic Farmers Association and numerous concerned individuals opposed this bill.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Clarifying that the purpose of the appropriation is to:

(A) Provide the scientific information to support the deregulation process which will allow the genetically engineered Hawaiian rainbow papaya to be introduced into the Japanese market; and

(B) Initiate the development and implementation of a marketing plan to promote transgenic and non-transgenic Hawaiian papaya in Japan and in future markets, including China and the European Union;

and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments 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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1899, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1899, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,

		____________________________ FELIPE P. ABINSAY, JR., Chair