STAND. COM. REP. NO. 106

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 807

       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 Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 807 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LOCALLY GROWN FOOD,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a farm to school grant program within the Department of Agriculture.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, State Procurement Office, Hawaii Center for Food Safety, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, Farm Lovers Farmers Markets, and two individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

     Your Committees find that farm to school activities support a nutritious school food environment and that more than eighty-five percent of the youth in Hawaii attend public schools.  Students who participate in farm to school activities are more likely to be familiar with, have a preference for, and consume more fruits and vegetables at school and at home, thereby establishing healthy behaviors at an early age that may prevent the onset of chronic diseases and other health conditions later in life.  Your Committees further find that participation in the farm to school program may be financially constraining for many farmers due to the high costs of compliance with federal law and regulations regarding food safety.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an appropriation to the Department of Education for the establishment of a farm to school coordinator position and a farm to school grant program special fund manager; and

     (2)  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 Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 807, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 807, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair