STAND. COM. REP. NO. 330-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2105

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. 2105 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support loss mitigation and efficiency improvements in the agricultural industry to achieve the State's goal of doubling local food production by 2020 by appropriating $1,500,000 to the Department of Agriculture to establish and administer the Agricultural Grant Program.

The Department of Agriculture, a Council Member of the Maui County Council, Ulupono Initiative, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc., Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Maui County Farm Bureau, and many concerned individuals supported this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing:

(1) The specified appropriation amount to an unspecified sum; and

(2) Its effective date to July 1, 2150, to encourage further discussion.

Should your Committee on Finance deliberate on this matter further, your Committee on Agriculture respectfully requests that it consider appropriating $1,500,000 to the Department of Agriculture to establish and administer the Agricultural Grant Program to support local food production.

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. 2105, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2105, 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