STAND. COM. REP. NO.  950-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   H.R. No. 236

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.R. No. 236 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

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

     Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Haleiwa Farmer's Market, and a concerned individual testified in support of this resolution.  The Department of Education (DOE) provided comments.

     Concerns were raised about DOE's inability to use ten percent of food dollars to purchase locally-produced produce.  Your Committee respectfully requests that the Committee on Finance work with the DOE to determine a percentage acceptable to the DOE that will also help promote Hawaii agricultural products.

     Your Committee has amended this resolution by blanking out the percentage amount of food dollars spent.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 236, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 236, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair