STAND. COM. REP. NO.  329

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 1569

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1569 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to support local agriculture and protect Hawaii from invasive pests by requiring the Department of Agriculture to implement an import replacement pilot program to reduce the importation of high-risk commodities and increase the production of such commodities from local sources.

     Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, and Hawaii Floriculture & Nursery Association supported this bill.  The Department of Agriculture supported the intent of this measure.  A concerned individual submitted comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1569 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair