STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1528-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   S.B. No. 1142

      S.D. 2

      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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1142, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure as received by your Committee is to encourage good agricultural practices, including the safe production, distribution, and consumer handling of food, by:

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

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

     For purposes of a public hearing on this measure, your Committee circulated proposed S.B. No. 1142, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and notified the public that it would be accepting testimony on the proposal, which among other things:

     (1)  Establishes an agricultural practices audit and certification revolving fund;

     (2)  Defines "good agricultural practices" and "producer";

     (3)  Authorizes the Department of Agriculture to establish a voluntary program to audit and certify that producers are following good agricultural practices; and

     (4)  Appropriates funds to the Department of Agriculture for statewide bee hive research.

The Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Big Island Farm Bureau, Kauai County Farm Bureau, Mikilua Farm Bureau Center, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Watanabe Vegetable Processing LLC, and several individuals testified in support of the proposed draft.  The Department of Budget and Finance and University of Hawai‘i at Hilo provided comments on the proposed draft.

     Your Committee adopted the proposed draft and amended the measure by 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 Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1142, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1142, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair