STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1260-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   S.B. No. 2695

      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 Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 2695, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIVESTOCK FEED,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to improve the State's food security and assist local agriculture by creating a livestock feed feasibility pilot project to explore the viability of growing and processing livestock feed within the State and, to the extent feasible, on land held by the Department of Agriculture.

The Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Palani Ranch Company, Maui Cattlemens Association, and two concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Clarifying that aquacultural products are included in the State's local production goals;

     (2)  Requiring the Department of Agriculture to implement the livestock feed feasibility pilot project in collaboration with other research institutions;

     (3)  Clarifying that the pilot project shall explore the viability of producing and processing livestock feed within the State through scientific research;

     (4)  Requiring the pilot project, to the extent feasible, to produce and process livestock feed on land as determined by the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture rather than on land held by the Department of Agriculture;

     (5)  Authorizing the issuance of $1,000,000 in general obligation bonds for fiscal year 2012-2013 for the pilot project;

     (6)  Requiring the $1,000,000 in general obligation bonds issued for the pilot project be matched by an equal appropriation from the Agricultural Development and Food Security Special Fund for fiscal year 2012-2013;

     (7)  Stipulating that a portion of the funds appropriated shall serve as matching funds for a federal construction grant awarded to build a pilot-scale feed mill to assess the operational feasibility of a feed mill in the state; and

     (8)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 2695, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2695, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair