STAND. COM. REP. NO. 722-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2156

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. 2156, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Education to establish a Farm to School Program. This measure requires the Farm to School Coordinator in the Department of Agriculture to work in collaboration with the Department of Education on any Farm to School Program. This measure also establishes and appropriates funds for two full-time equivalent Farm to School staff positions within the Department of Education.

The Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Ulupono Initiative, GMO Free Kaua‘i, Ho‘omanapono Political Action Committee, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Kōkua Hawai‘i Foundation, National Farm to School Network, Hawaii Medical Service Association, The Kohala Center, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Blue Zones Project, Aloha Behavioral Associates, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Afterschool Alliance, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Hawaii Children's Action Network, We Are One, Inc., Local Food Coalition, Kamehameha Schools, Ka Ohana O Na Pua, Ho‘omana Pono, LLC, and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure. The American Heart Association provided comments on this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount.

Should your Committee on Finance deliberate on this measure further, your Committee on Agriculture respectfully requests that it consider appropriating $114,336 to establish two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) farm to staff positions in the department of education.

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. 2156, 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. 2156, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair