STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1248

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 667

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 667, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to promote food safety by establishing good agricultural guidelines and practices for the State.

Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Establishes a food safety and security program within the Department of Agriculture; and

     (2)  Makes an appropriation to the Department of Agriculture for the food safety and security program; and

     (3)  Directs the Department of Agriculture to adopt rules relating to the production, processing, and distribution of food products or agricultural commodities to meet state and federal food safety standards.

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from Dave Arakawa, Executive Director, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that the State's current system for ensuring food safety is understaffed and untrained for the rapid changes that have occurred in risk assessment, changes in production and distribution methodologies, and new foods and emerging pathogens.  Your Committee further finds that food safety programs are not integrated among government agencies, hampering communication and cooperation.  Further, it appears that many of Hawaii's food growers are not implementing good agricultural practices.  This measure will address these and other serious food safety concerns by establishing a statewide, comprehensive food safety and security program.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the appropriation for the food safety and security program; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 667, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 667, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair