STAND. COM. REP. NO. 285

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 754

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 754 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LAND ACQUISITION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an appropriation for the Agribusiness Development Corporation to purchase certain agricultural lands.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Agribusiness Development Corporation and Hawaii Cattlemen's Council.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     You Committee finds that acquiring and developing agricultural lands is vital to the Agribusiness Development Corporation's mission and assists the State by promoting diversified agricultural enterprises on idle lands.  Your Committee understands that funding from this measure will go toward acquiring lands being sold in Central Oahu and the North Shore by Dole Foods Company to ensure that these lands are kept for agricultural uses in perpetuity.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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. 754, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 754, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair