STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2892

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2093

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Education and Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2093, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to support agricultural education in the State by:

     (1)  Requiring the University of Hawaii to establish a Center for Agricultural Leadership within the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management of the University of Hawaii at Hilo;

     (2)  Requiring the University of Hawaii to establish a two-year pilot project at one high school in each county to determine the steps necessary for the operation of school farms, including food safety certification requirements of the Department of Agriculture; and

     (3)  Appropriating funds to the University of Hawaii to implement the purposes of this measure.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Department of Education; College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo; Hawaii Association of Independent Schools; Ma‘o Community Food Systems Initiative; Hawai‘i Island School Garden Network; and four individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System.

     Your Committees find that supporting agriculture in the educational system is an important step in promoting economically competitive activities that increase Hawaii's agricultural self-sufficiency.  However, your Committees believe that it is prudent that the University of Hawaii have the opportunity to determine the feasibility of establishing a Center for Agricultural Leadership before the Legislature mandates it to do so.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing language requiring the University of Hawaii to establish a Center for Agricultural Leadership and create a director position within the Center;

     (2)  Adding language to require the University of Hawaii to examine the feasibility of establishing a Center for Agriculture Leadership and report back to the Legislature with its findings, including any funding requirements, prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2013;

     (3)  Removing language establishing the school farm pilot project; and

     (4)  Removing all other references to school farms for purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2093, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2093, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Agriculture,

____________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair