STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1161

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 177

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Water and Land, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 177 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE TO PURCHASE AGRICULTURAL LAND FROM DOLE FOOD COMPANY, INC.,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the State to purchase approximately 22,500 acres of agricultural land from Dole Food Company, Inc.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Trust for Public Land, Dole Food Company Hawaii, and Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.

     Pursuant to the Hawaii State Constitution, the State is obligated to conserve and protect agricultural lands, promote diversified agriculture, increase agricultural self-sufficiency, and assure the availability of agriculturally suitable lands.  Your Committees find that one of the principal ways the State can promote agriculture is to provide public lands at reasonable costs and with long-term leases to farmers.  By purchasing agricultural land from Dole Food Company, Inc., the State will not only conserve valuable agricultural land but also provide a large inventory of land for disbursement to new and existing agricultural entrepreneurs.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 177 and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________ MALAMA SOLOMON, Chair

____________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair