STAND. COM. REP. NO. 701
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 1145
S.D. 2
Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui
President of the Senate
Twenty-Sixth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2011
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1145, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to move the State closer to its goal of reducing dependence on imported foods by implementing "food sustainability standards" requiring a certain percentage of all food sold for consumption to be grown within the State, with benchmarks set for 2020, 2030, and 2040.
Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Russell S. Kokubun, Chairperson, Board of Agriculture; Angela Kaaihue, Waimalu Valley Ranch; Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter; and Alani Apio.
Your Committee finds that there are multiple benefits to increasing the availability of locally produced food, including fresher produce with higher nutritional value, a decreased reliance on imported foods, and local economic growth. Establishing measurable standards for the amount of food that must be grown in the State will bring Hawaii closer to its goal of self-sufficiency and sustainability.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Changing the amount of net food sales that must be grown within the State to unspecified percentages; and
(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1145, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1145, S.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,
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____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair |
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