STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3223

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 289

       H.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Judiciary and Government Operations, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 289, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING STATE PUBLIC ENTITIES TO COMMIT TO HEALTHIER AND MORE NUTRITIOUS MEALS IN THEIR PROGRAMS BY SPENDING MORE OF THEIR FOOD DOLLARS FOR LOCALLY-PRODUCED PRODUCE OR OTHER HAWAII AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request state public entities to commit to healthier and more nutritious meals in their programs by spending more of their food dollars for locally-produced produce or other Hawaii agricultural products.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one county councilmember and one individual.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Hawaii residents spend an estimated $3,700,000,000 annually on food, with approximately eighty-five per cent of that money being spent on imported food.  Replacing just ten per cent of these imported foods with locally-produced food would keep approximately $313,000,000 in the local economy.  This measure would enable the Department of Education, and other state entities, to use the procurement process to obtain local produce from Hawaii farmers to use in our public entities' food services.  Several public school cafeteria managers successfully serve healthy and nutritious lunches using local produce, and have reported a reduction in waste which reduces costs.  Similar efforts in other states have yielded similar results.  Your Committee finds that using locally produced food also promotes environmental stewardship, reduces the risk of invasive species, and preserves open spaces. 

     Due to legislative deadlines, your Committee was not able to amend the resolution to insert that ten per cent of state public entities' food dollars should be spent on locally-produced produce or other Hawaii agricultural products.  Your Committee strongly urges that the University of Hawaii, the Department of Education, the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, and other state public entities set the goal of spending ten per cent of their food budgets for local foods.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Judiciary and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 289, H.D. 1, and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs and Judiciary and Government Operations,

____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair

____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair