STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2703

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2352

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2352, 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 authorize the issuance of special purpose revenue bonds in a total amount not to exceed $10,000,000 to assist Kauai Coffee Company Incorporated in the planning, construction, and operation of a coffee processing facility for the production of Hawaii-grown coffee products.

     Written comments in support of this measure were submitted by the Department of Agriculture.

     Your Committee finds that in order to develop additional markets for Hawaii-grown coffee, the coffee industry must be able to offer new and innovative products.  Therefore, creating a new coffee processing facility would allow the coffee industry to create products that the global market is demanding.  The coffee processing facility will also benefit all Hawaii coffee producers by allowing them to process their product in Hawaii.

     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. 2352, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair