STAND. COM. REP. NO.  571

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 455

      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. 455 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the Department of Agriculture (Department) from charging agricultural producers for the costs of food safety certification activities conducted by the Department.

The Hawaii Farmers Union United and a concerned individual supported this measure.  The Department provided comments.

     Your Committee notes that there were concerns raised by the Department in its testimony, stating that this measure will jeopardize the existing cooperative agreements and long standing relationship between the Department and the United States Department of Agriculture.  The Department also testified that it no longer performs certain meat inspection functions included in this measure, but has relinquished those functions to the United States Department of Agriculture.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by 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. 455, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 455, 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