Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 955 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Hawaii Farm Bureau for agricultural research and market development.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Agriculture, University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, County of Maui Office of Economic Development, Big Island Farm Bureau, Gay & Robinson Inc., Growing Creations LLC, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Kauai Coffee, Meadow Gold Dairies, Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, and Quality Turfgrass. Testimony in opposition was submitted by one individual.

Your Committee finds that a revived and revitalized state agricultural industry would help to diversify Hawaii's economy, sustain and stabilize Hawaii's food supply, and protect the open space and lifestyle that Hawaii residents and visitors value. This measure provides funding for the Hawaii Farm Bureau to conduct agricultural research and market development to revitalize the agricultural industry.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting the dollar amount of the appropriation and left it blank for determination by the Committee on Ways and Means.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 955, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 955, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.