STAND. COM. REP. NO.  790-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1988

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1988, 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 improve access to nutritious foods in public educational institutions and develop the agricultural workforce for the benefit of local farmers and consumers by:

(1)  Establishing a Hawaii Farm to School Program within the Department of Agriculture; and

(2)  Appropriating funds for a Farm to School coordinator position.

The Kohala Center, Hawai‘i Island School Garden Network, Kokua Hawai‘i Foundation, Farm to Keiki, Maui School Garden Network, and numerous individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Agriculture, University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, and Hawaii Farm Bureau commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to facilitate further discussion.

     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 H.B. No. 1988, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1988, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair