STAND. COM. REP. NO.  553-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2582

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 2582 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish and implement the Agricultural Food Safety Certification Program.

     More specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Establishes the Agricultural Food Safety Certification Program within the Department of Agriculture to support the agricultural industry and assist farmers and ranchers who are subject to the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act; and

     (2)  Appropriates funds for the Department of Agriculture to develop and implement the program and establish four full-time equivalent positions in the program.

     The Department of Agriculture, North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership, and Hawaii Farm Bureau submitted testimony in support of this measure.

     Your Committee finds that it is important to support the agricultural industry by providing assistance to farmers and ranchers who must comply with the requirements of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.  Your Committee recognizes that compliance with the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act may be especially difficult for small farmers and that cooperative efforts will lessen this burden.  Accordingly, your Committee finds that establishing the Agricultural Food Safety Certification Program will support the agricultural industry by assisting farmers and ranchers with FDA Food Safety Modernization Act compliance.

     Your Committee notes that neither the Department of Agriculture nor the prior Standing Committee provided guidance regarding the appropriation amount necessary to establish positions for the Agricultural Food Safety Certification Program.  Accordingly, should the Committee on Finance decide to hear this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that the Committee on Finance examine and determine a suitable appropriation amount.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2112, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2582, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2582, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair