STAND. COM. REP. NO.  711-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 502

      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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 502, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD SELF-SUFFICIENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support food security and self-sufficiency in the State by:

     (1)  Appropriating funds to the Department of Agriculture to create positions within the Department to monitor local food production; and

     (2)  Directing the Department of Agriculture to issue a request for proposals for a report establishing a State food sufficiency baseline based on the percentage of food currently consumed and produced in the State to set food self-sufficiency goals.

Ulupono Initiative and a concerned individual testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Agriculture commented on this measure.

     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. 502, 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