STAND. COM. REP. NO 89

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 881

       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 Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 881 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish in the Agribusiness Development Corporation a grant program to provide financial support for agriculture-related improvements to existing and emerging farms and agribusiness operations.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Agribusiness Development Corporation; Hawaii Agriculture Research Center; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; and Ponoholo Ranch, Limited.

     Your Committee finds that the ability for the Agribusiness Development Corporation to issue grants will provide the means to assist local farming operations, make investments to strengthen and diversify Hawaii's agriculture, attract and retain businesses, and streamline the Corporation's operations.  Your Committee further finds that a grant program may help foster partnerships to facilitate agribusiness projects and help grow Hawaii's agriculture industry.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting a grant cap of $100,000 per person per year;

     (2)  Applying the grant cap of $100,000 per qualified person per year to qualified entities as well; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 881, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 881, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair