STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1404

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   S.B. No. 326

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 326, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote food safety by:

     (1)  Establishing a Good Agricultural Practices Task Force to identify and develop guidelines aimed at ensuring effective food safety and agricultural practices throughout the farm-to-consumer food supply system; and

     (2)  Appropriating an unspecified amount for the administrative costs of the Task Force.

Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation and a few concerned individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Agriculture offered comments.

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

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair