STAND. COM. REP. NO. 632-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 1884

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1884 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure as received by your Committee, is to clarify that under the State's Right to Farm Act, farming operations include subsistence farming, which is a farming operation primarily for direct personal or family consumption and not for commercial purposes.

For purposes of facilitating discussion, your Committee solicited a proposed H.B. No. 1884, H.D. 1 (Proposed Draft), for public review and comment. The Proposed Draft is substantially similar to the measure received by your Committee and additionally clarifies that cultivation of crops and forestry, farming activities involving livestock, game and fish propagation, and aquaculture for economic or personal use are allowed on agricultural lands.

The Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference, Hawaii Island Economic Development Board, and Ho‘omanapono Political Action Committee supported this measure. One concerned individual opposed this measure. The Office of Planning and Land Use Commission provided comments.

Your Committee has adopted the Proposed Draft and further amended it by changing the 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. 1884, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1884, 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