STAND. COM. REP. NO.  969-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2400

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development & Business, to which was referred S.B. No. 2400, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reduce Hawaii's dependence on imported foods and diversify the agricultural industry.

     Specifically, the measure:

     (1)  Requires the Agribusiness Development Corporation and University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to:

          (A)  Identify food and emerging crops that can be grown on lands owned by the Agribusiness Development Corporation;

          (B)  Identify the resources needed to sustain identified food and emerging crops;

          (C)  Design and establish a program to prepare the agricultural workforce to become successful growers and producers; and

          (D)  Report their findings to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2015 Regular Session;

     (2)  Requires the Agribusiness Development Corporation and the Department of Agriculture to develop a strategy for the lease of state agricultural lands to provide opportunities for farms to maximize production and for the use of state lands, facilities, and infrastructure to maximize agricultural development; and

     (3)  Requires the Agribusiness Development Corporation, Department of Agriculture, and University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to coordinate and provide technical support to farmers regarding food and emerging crops suited to particular areas and to support and cultivate successful agricultural businesses.

The University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Farmers Union United, and Hawaii Farmers Union United-Kona Chapter testified in support of the measure.

     Your Committees find that support of agriculture in Hawaii will contribute to the long-term development and sustainability of this industry.  Accordingly, your Committees believe that the State must coordinate its planning efforts to optimize the use of the State's agricultural resources.  In addition, your Committees find that assisting new and existing agricultural businesses by providing appropriate research, educational opportunities, services, and resources related to the identification of emerging crops and food crops will maximize agricultural production.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting provisions in the purpose section to note the goals outlined in the Office of Planning's Increased Food Security and Food Self-Sufficiency Strategy;

     (2)  Inserting provisions to emphasize that the programs should focus on food and emerging crops;

     (3)  Taking out references to assisting new small, mid-size, and large farms;

     (4)  Changing the effective date from July 1, 2050, to upon approval; and

     (5)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development & Business that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2400, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2400, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Higher Education.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development & Business,

____________________________ CLIFT TSUJI, Chair

____________________________ JESSICA WOOLEY, Chair