STAND. COM. REP. NO. 977

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1475

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1475, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Allow farmers' markets and food hubs in agricultural districts; and

     (2)  Require that value-added products displayed and sold by agricultural-based commercial operations in agricultural districts contain at least fifty percent Hawaii grown content.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau and five individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Land Use Commission, Kamehameha Schools, and one individual.

     Your Committees find that farmers in Hawaii face many challenges in achieving economic sustainability, including the limited availability of reliable markets and food hubs, which are facilities used to secure food and process value-added products.  Allowing farmers' markets and food hubs to operate on agricultural lands will help lower costs for and increase revenue to farmers in the State, help farmers become or remain economically sustainable, and ensure public access to locally grown food and value-added products.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that a farmers' market is an outdoor market limited to farmers selling agricultural products grown in Hawaii and value-added products containing at least fifty percent Hawaii grown content;

     (2)  Making it effective on July 1, 2017; 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 and Environment and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1475, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1475, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair