STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2673

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 271, 272

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 271 and 272, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

Board of Agriculture

G.M. No. 271	RICHARD HA, for a term to expire 6-30-2010; and
G.M. No. 272	RICHARD HA, for a term to expire 6-30-2014,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal history, resume, and statements of the nominee, and finds Richard Ha to have the necessary qualifications for the Board of Agriculture.

     Testimony in support of the nomination of Richard Ha was submitted by one state agency, eight organizations, and one individual.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Mr. Ha presently serves as an interim member of the Board of Agriculture, and represents the county of Hawaii.  He received his Bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  Mr. Ha is the President and Founder of Hamakua Springs Country Farm, which is a 600 acre diversified agriculture operation with 200 acres dedicated to bananas and approximately 20 acres devoted to hydroponic vegetable production.  His banana farm was the first in the world to be certified Eco-OK for sustainable banana farming operations by the Rainforest Alliance.  He was the 2006 Farmer of the Year for the State of Hawaii, and received a 2008 Hall of Honor Award from the University of Hawaii, College of Business. 

     Mr. Ha believes in sustainable farming which takes into account the long-term well-being of the employees, the community, and the environment.  He is developing a hydro-electric project on his farm to reduce his dependence on oil.  Mr. Ha wants to serve on the Board of Agriculture to improve Hawaii's food security, which requires support for all farmers, large and small, organic and conventional, on all islands, and at all elevations.  He believes reliance on a few large farms is not sufficient for food security.  His experiences with the decision to site the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea taught him two important lessons that continue to strongly influence his public service, one is that the process of open dialogue is critical to the success of any project, and secondly that the needs of the entire community must be considered.  He can communicate with all kinds of people, and knows how to successfully set long-term goals and stay focused on those goals.  Your Committee wants Mr. Ha to continue to bring his pioneering spirit and wisdom to the Board of Agriculture. 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair