STAND. COM. REP. NO.  524

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 453

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 453 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for the Department of Agriculture to establish a grant program to provide grants to farmers to assist them in paying for the costs of compliance with the Federal Food and Drug Administration Food Safety Modernization Act, federal regulations, and state food safety laws.

The Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Cattlemens Council, a Councilmember from the County of Maui, Hawaii Farmers Union United, and Ulupono Initiative supported this measure.  The Department of Agriculture supported the intent of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Authorizing the use of funds appropriated for administrative costs related to the implementation of the Food Safety Certification Costs Grant Program;

     (2)  Extending, by one year, the lapse date of the appropriation; and

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 31, 2150, to encourage further discussion.

     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 H.B. No. 453, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 453, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair