STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2375

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2292

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2292 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide funding to construct the necessary irrigation infrastructure on the former Galbraith Estate lands now owned by the State.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Agribusiness Development Corporation, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Local Food Coalition, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, and two individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and one individual.

     Your Committees find that Hawaii's agricultural industry is one of the most important economic sectors in the State.  The State recently acquired one of Oahu's largest tracts of undeveloped land, known as the Galbraith Estate, that has the potential to significantly increase local agricultural production.  This land, however, had been developed for large agricultural operations and requires funding for the construction of appropriate irrigation systems to support a diversity of smaller agricultural operations.  Your Committees find that funding infrastructure improvements on the former Galbraith Estate will attract a diversity of businesses to the land and will increase our food self-sufficiency and agricultural economy.

     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 are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2292 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and 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