STAND. COM. REP. NO. 105

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 882

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. 882 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FARM TO SCHOOL MONTH IN HAWAII,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to designate the month of October as "Farm to School Month in Hawaii".

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, University of Hawai‘i System, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and one individual.

     Your Committees find that farm to school initiatives connect schools and local farms, with the objective of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, and lowering childhood obesity.  Such initiatives give students access to fresh, local foods and numerous educational opportunities.  Farm to school programs already exist in schools in Hawaii, and your Committees further find that the United States Congress has designated October as National Farm to School Month.  This measure would align Hawaii's farm to school policy with the national initiative and draw attention within the State to the important issue of sustainable, healthy, local food in Hawaii's schools.  Your Committees additionally find that the average age of commercial farmers in Hawaii is over sixty years old; therefore, encouraging students to enter or develop the farming workforce will benefit the industry.

     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. 882 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair