STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1220

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   S.B. No. 753

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Water & Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 753, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to lease or otherwise dispose of lands to the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) to effectuate the purposes of the agribusiness development program in directing agricultural industry evolution.

The Department of Agriculture, Agribusiness Development Corporation, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and one concerned individual testified in support of this measure.  Na Koa Ikaika; Hawaii's Thousand Friends; Kauai Island Vacations, Inc.; Babes Against Biotech; Waimanalo Ahupuaa; Puna Pono Alliance; Ho‘okipa Network-Kauai, and numerous concerned individuals testified in opposition to this measure.  Occupy Monsanto Maui offered comments.

     Your Committees note concern that this measure should be narrowed further to limit ADC's use of public lands leased from DOA to organic and natural food farming, however, for interests of efficiency your Committees have passed this bill to the Committee on Finance without addressing this issue.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Limiting the purposes for which ADC can use lands leased through DOA to the production of food and the development of organic livestock feed;

     (2)  Authorizing the establishment of a Food Production and Organic Livestock Feed Development Mobilization Program under ADC to encourage the production of food and the development of organic livestock feed in the agricultural industry by authorizing ADC to lease lands from the DOA for such purposes;

     (3)  Authorizing the High Technology Development Corporation to assist ADC with implementing technological innovations for improved organic food and organic livestock feed crop cultivation; 

     (4)  Removing references to the "disposition" or "disposal" of public non-agricultural park lands by DOA, and characterizing the DOA's action, instead, as "land transactions";

     (5)  Clarifying that, with specified exceptions, the DOA shall engage in land transactions involving public land by lease only;

     (6)  Removing language stating that ADC is "exempt" from the standard DOA public land lease qualification requirements and clarifying that, instead, such requirements shall not apply to ADC;

     (7)  Deleting an unnecessary provision that stated that ADC shall not sell certain public land to which it does not hold the required title that would permit sale; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Water & Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 753, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 753, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Water & Land,

____________________________ CINDY EVANS, Chair

____________________________ JESSICA WOOLEY, Chair