STAND. COM. REP. NO. 683

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1313

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1313 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HAWAII FOOD RESILIENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a statewide agricultural development and food resiliency strategy and goals.

     Specifically, this measure:

(1)  Requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a strategy and identify goals for increased food security and self-sufficiency in Hawaii; and

(2)  Appropriates funds to:

(A)  Promote locally grown food;

(B)  Expand and improve branding of locally grown food;

(C)  Promote farmers markets;

(D)  Establish a farm to school pilot program in charter schools;

(E)  Develop good agricultural practices for school gardens;

(F)  Establish specialists to certify farm food safety;

(G)  Develop regional agriculture infrastructure master plans; and

(H)  Restore food inspection, pest control, biosecurity, market research, and agricultural statistics positions.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of Planning, the Department of Agriculture, the University of Hawaii System, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Ulupono Initiative.

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii imports approximately ninety-two per cent of its food.  Your Committee further finds that requiring the Department of Agriculture to establish a plan to increase production and demand for local food and providing funding for various agricultural programs will help to increase the amount of local food consumed in the State, reduce Hawaii's reliance on imported food, and create jobs.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to March 9, 2092, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(2) Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of style, clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1313, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1313, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair