STAND. COM. REP. NO.  635-18

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2102

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

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. 2102, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NUTRIENT CYCLING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to support sustainable agriculture through nutrient cycling practices by establishing and funding a Regional Nutrient Cycling Pilot Program on the island of Maui and requiring the Department of Agriculture to report on the operational and economic efficacy of the Pilot Program.  

 

     The Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farmers Union United, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and a few concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Hawaii Farm Bureau provided comments on this measure.  

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the appropriation amount of $2,000,000 to an unspecified sum.

 

     The Hawaii Farm Bureau testified that there are federal programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentive Program under the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture that provide funds to offset costs to farmers who voluntarily implement practices that build soil structure and nutrient capacity.

 

     Should your Committee on Finance deliberate on this matter further, your Committee on Agriculture respectfully requests that it consider appropriating $2,000,000 to establish the Regional Nutrient Cycling Pilot Program on the island of Maui, including the costs for program operations, equipment, regulatory compliance, land development and leasing, administration, personnel, and contaminant testing.

 

     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. 2102, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2102, H.D. 2.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair