STAND. COM. REP. NO.  585-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 280

      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. 280, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to remove:

     (1)  The requirement that the Department of Agriculture inspect and certify all Hawaii-grown green coffee beans unless otherwise specified by the Department's Rules; and

     (2)  The prohibition on shipping Hawaii-grown green coffee beans outside of the area of geographic origin unless they have been inspected by the Department of Agriculture.

The Department of Agriculture; Maui County Farm Bureau; Onouli Farm, LLC; Kauai Coffee Company, LLC; Hawaii Coffee Growers Association; Coffees of Hawaii- Molokai; Greenwell Farms, Inc.; and numerous individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation and Ka'u Farm Bureau submitted testimony in support of the intent of this measure.  North Shore Farms, LLC; Kona Rising Coffee Co.; Daily Fix Coffee; and several individuals opposed this measure.  Hawaii Farmers Union United and an individual submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee requests that your Committee on Finance further examine the issue of counterfeit agricultural commodities.

     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. 280, H.D. 1, 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