STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1064

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   S.B. No. 482

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 482, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to encourage beekeeping operations in the State by exempting home-based agricultural producers of honey from processing honey in a certified honey house or food processing establishment and the requirement to obtain a permit from the Department of Health, if the producer, among other things:

     (1)  Sells less than 500 gallons of honey per year;

     (2)  Sells honey directly to consumers or to a retail store that sells honey directly to consumers;

     (3)  Labels each container with the statement, "Honey should not be consumed by infants under one year of age.";

     (4)  Attends a Department of Health approved food safety workshop class and passes the food safety certification exam; and

     (5)  Keeps records of honey production volume and distribution for two years and makes the records available to the Department of Health.

The Department of Agriculture; Maui Natural Bee, LLC.; and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Health, Hawaii Farmers Union United, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and a few concerned individuals offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding language to the required label contents to convey to the consumer that the honey product has not been inspected by the Department of Health;

     (2)  Providing that the State and counties shall not be liable for claims associated with honey distributed by home-based agricultural producers of honey, except under certain circumstances; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments 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 S.B. No. 482, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 482, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

JESSICA WOOLEY, Chair