STAND. COM. REP. NO.  261-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 2703

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2703 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD SELF-SUFFICIENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Agriculture to develop a food sustainability standard to promote local food production to help diversify the local economy.

Honaunau Farm, United States Green Building Council at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Slow Food Oahu, Hana Health, Hawaii Agritourism Association, Alii Kula Lavender, Coastalzone.com, Kailua Hawaiian Civic Club, Sierra Club, Kewalo Hawaiian Homestead Community Association, and numerous concerned individuals offered testimony in support of this measure.  The Land Use Research Foundation and a few individuals offered testimony in opposition of this measure.  The Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, M&H Kaneshiro farms, and an individual provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committee respectfully requests that the Committee on Finance examine the possibility of providing funding to the Department of Agriculture for the data collection and reporting requirements established pursuant to this measure.  Additionally, your Committee respectfully requests that the Committee on Finance examine the figures used in the preamble to the measure concerning imported food.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the language that prohibits discretionary approvals if food sustainability standards are not achieved; 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 Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2703, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2703, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair