STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1156

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 121

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Higher Education and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Education and Housing, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 121 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, COLLEGE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN RESOURCES, IN COOPERATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND THE HAWAII FARM BUREAU FEDERATION, TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS TO CONSIDER THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM IN HAWAII'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to:

     (1)  Convene a working group of stakeholders, in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, and the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, to consider the feasibility of establishing a Farm to School program in Hawaii's public schools statewide; and

     (2)  Report the findings and recommendations to the 2010 Legislature.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Maui Farm Bureau, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, and four individuals.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committees find that the farm to school program promotes locally grown food in schools, educates students about food cultivation and healthy eating habits, and supports the local agricultural industry.  In addition, your Committees find that this measure is in keeping with the State's initiatives to increase Hawaii's food self-sufficiency and decrease the import of foods from the current level of eighty-five per cent of all food consumed, to diversify the economy, to ensure a sustainable environment, and to strengthen communities.

     Your Committees have amended this measure to add development of an appropriate farm to school policy statement to the tasks of the working group.

     Your Committees also urge the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to include representatives from the Hawaii State Student Council, the Hawaii Secondary Student Conference, and the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools in the working group of stakeholders.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Education and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 121, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 121, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Higher Education and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Education and Housing,

____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair	____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair
	____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair