Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 955, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds through the Department of Agriculture for the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation to be able to conduct agricultural research and market development.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation is the ideal organization to oversee and conduct agricultural research and market development in this State. The organization represents the agriculture industry and frequently partners with the Department of Agriculture, the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and other agricultural organizations on research and market development projects. Your Committee further finds that without adequate funding for agricultural research and market development, Hawaii's agricultural industry will not be able to remain competitive in the global marketplace.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 955, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.