STAND. COM. REP. NO. 105

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1145

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 1145 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require the State to attain certain food sustainability standards by specific deadlines;

     (2)  Require the Department of Agriculture to monitor the State's progress in meeting the food sustainability standards;

     (3)  Authorize the Department of Agriculture to impose penalties for the State's failure to reach food sustainability standards;

     (4)  Require the Department of Agriculture to report to the Legislature annually; and

     (5)  Make an appropriation to the Department of Agriculture for the establishment of food sustainability standards and related oversight, planning, and monitoring responsibilities.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Sierra Club, Hawai‘i Chapter; Hui Kalo/Governor's Taro Task Force; and nine individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

     Your Committee finds that increasing local food production through establishment of specific and measureable goals will help reduce the State's dependency on imported food. 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the authorization of the Department of Agriculture to impose penalties for the State's failure to reach food sustainability standards; and

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

     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 S.B. No. 1145, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1145, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair