STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2206

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2400

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Agriculture, Higher Education, and Economic Development, Government Operations and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2400 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Agribusiness Development Corporation and the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to design a program that identifies emerging crops and productive uses for lands managed by the Agribusiness Development Corporation and prepares a workforce to cultivate these lands.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Agribusiness Development Corporation, University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Hawaii Farmers Union United, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and eight individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committees find that maximizing agricultural productivity is crucial to improving Hawaii's economy and food security.  By identifying niche crops and assisting new farmers in developing new businesses, the program proposed by this measure will provide long-term career opportunities for Hawaii's farmers and maximize the value of agricultural lands.

     Your Committees expressed concern that the Department of Agriculture and the Agribusiness Development Corporation were not working together to maximize the efficient use of state agricultural assets to support a growing diversified agricultural economy.  Your Committees conclude that the Agribusiness Development Corporation and the Department of Agriculture should coordinate strategies, in addition to the proposed program, to maximize state agricultural assets under their management and the efficient delivery of agricultural programs and services.  Similarly, your Committees conclude that the Agribusiness Development Corporation, Department of Agriculture, and University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources should coordinate strategies to provide technical support to farmers to maximize efficiency and productivity.

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding language to:

          (A)  Require the Agribusiness Development Corporation and Department of Agriculture to develop a coordinated strategy to lease state agricultural lands in a manner that will provide opportunities for new, small, mid-size, and large farms to maximize production in a cost-efficient manner;

          (B)  Require the Agribusiness Development Corporation and Department of Agriculture to develop a coordinated strategy to use state lands, facilities, and infrastructure to support emerging and specialty crops and maximize agricultural development;

          (C)  Require 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 to identify emerging crops, including specialty crops particularly suited to a particular area to optimize diversified agricultural production on state lands, and to support and cultivate successful agricultural businesses;

     (2)  Deleting inaccurate findings from section 1; and

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

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

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture, Higher Education, and Economic Development, Government Operations and Housing,

____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair	____________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair
	____________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair