STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1441-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.R. No. 293

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Economic Development & Business Concerns and Agriculture, to which was referred H.R. No. 293 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO CONSULT WITH OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO OPTIMIZE THE USE OF THE KULA VACUUM COOLING PLANT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to assist Hawaii farmers by requiring the Department of Agriculture to author a plan to repair, upgrade, and optimize the use of the Kula Vacuum Cooling Plant in Upcountry Maui. 

     The Maui County Farm Bureau supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Agriculture offered comments.

     Your Committees find that the Kula Vacuum Cooling Plant could potentially provide great assistance to Hawaii's farmers by offering a means to preserve agricultural products for shipping to other islands, states, or countries.  However, the facility has fallen into a state of disrepair and is underutilized.  Restoration of this facility to an optimized operational status will provide farmers in Upcountry Maui with an invaluable resource.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development & Business Concerns and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 293 and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development & Business Concerns and Agriculture,

____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Chair

____________________________ KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair