STAND. COM. REP. NO.  144-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1989

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1989 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to improve food security and self-sufficiency in the State by establishing an On-farm Mentoring Program at the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources that will teach a new generation of farmers about methods to improve soil health by using whole system practices.  The components of the Program include, among other things:

(1)  The appointment of an on-farm mentor for each qualifying island by the Dean of the College;

(2)  The establishment of a curriculum for the Program that teaches methods to improve soil health; 

(3)  The authorization to include instruction on other aspects of farming, including farm management, animal husbandry, crop management, farmer cooperatives, marketing, integrated pest management and multi-cropping, and beneficial insects;

(4)  A competitive grant process to encourage farmers or farming organizations to develop or expand on-farm mentoring; and

(5)  An appropriation of an unspecified amount to fund the grants.

The Hawaii Farmers Union United, Kona Chapter-Hawaii Farmers Union United, and a number of concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation supported the intent of this measure.  The University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources opposed this measure.  A concerned individual commented on this bill.

     Your Committee finds that the On-farm Mentoring Program as structured by this bill does not coincide with the mission and organizational infrastructure of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Substantially revising the On-farm Mentoring Program, including the deletion of the components relating to the appointment of on-farm mentors by the Dean of the College and the competitive grant process;

     (2)  Requiring the College to develop and implement a pilot On-farm Training Program for mentors as a component of the College's extension faculty and cooperative extension service;

     (3)  Specifying that the pilot Program train skilled farmers in extension service training activities to enhance their abilities to provide on-farm mentoring to students about methods to improve soil health by using whole system practices;

     (4)  Providing that skilled farmers who participate in the pilot Program shall receive compensation pursuant to the University of Hawaii's fiscal and personnel regulations and policies;

     (5)  Clarifying the established and authorized curriculum under the pilot Program;

     (6)  Requiring the College to submit a report of its findings and recommendations on the pilot Program to the Legislature; and

     (7)  Changing the purpose of the appropriation to that of funding the pilot Program.

     Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made 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 H.B. No. 1989, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1989, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Higher Education.

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

____________________________

JESSICA WOOLEY, Chair