STAND. COM. REP. NO. 240-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2497

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. 2497 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 make investments in the areas of agriculture, education, and health by:

(1) Establishing a three-year Farm to School Grant Pilot Program, within the Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with specified state agencies and farm to school stakeholders to provide grants to public schools including charter schools, publicly funded early care and education centers, nonprofit organizations, soil and water conservation districts, and farmers, ranchers, and other food vendors registered with the Food to Farm School Program;

(2) Requiring the Hawaii Farm to School Coordinator to submit a report to the Legislature on the value and outcome of the Farm to School Grant Pilot Program; and

(3) Appropriating:

(A) $1,000,000 for the Farm to School Grant Pilot Program for grants;

(B) $100,000 for administrative costs of the Farm to School Grant Pilot Program; and

The College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources of the University of Hawaii, State Procurement Office, Hawai‘i Farm to School Hui, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc., American Heart Association, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Hawaii Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu, Kaye Family Farms, and two concerned individuals supported this measure. The Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, and Department of Education supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing all appropriation amounts to unspecified sums;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2150, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for consistency, clarity, and style.

Should your Committee on Finance deliberate on this matter further, your Committee on Agriculture respectfully requests that it consider appropriating:

(A) $1,000,000 for the Farm to School Grant Pilot Program for grants;

(B) $100,000 for administrative costs of the Farm to School Grant Pilot Program, including the hiring of a contractor to administer the program; and

(C) $200,000 for the continuance of the Hawaii Farm to School Program, for one full-time Farm to School Coordinator position, and administrative expenses for the program.

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. 2497, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2497, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Education.

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

____________________________

RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair