CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 85

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2013

 

RE:    S.B. No. 993

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam and Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 993, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LOANS,"

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this measure is to expand the Department of Agriculture's agricultural loan program by adding farm innovation loans and expanding eligibility for new farmer loans. 

 

     Your Committee on Conference finds that there is a need to encourage younger generations to enter into the agricultural field if Hawaii is going to increase its food security and sustainability.  Currently, the approximate age of farmers in Hawaii is fifty-nine years old.  By expanding eligibility for new farmer loans and expanding new farmer loans to include farm innovation loans, this measure will incentivize and encourage young farmers to enter the agricultural field.  By creating loans for farm innovation, this measure will also encourage current farmers to experiment with new crops and techniques to improve agricultural diversity and efficiency. 

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Removing the establishment of a low interest biosecurity loan program to assist the livestock industry and deleting all references to class I biosecurity project loans, including the definition of "biosecurity";

 

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2013; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 993, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 993, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

____________________________

JESSICA WOOLEY, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

RONALD D. KOUCHI, Co-Chair

____________________________

RICHARD H.K. ONISHI, Co-Chair