STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2241

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2069

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2069 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ‘ULU,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an appropriation for the research, development, marketing, and conservation of breadfruit, or ‘ulu.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, University of Hawaii System Government Relations Office, Ho‘omanapono Political Action Committee, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and six individuals.

Your Committees find that breadfruit, or ‘ulu, is a traditional Hawaiian crop with unrecognized potential as an agricultural commodity. It is rich in nutritional content, can be easily grown in Hawaii, and can be used to create gluten-free products. Your Committees find that supporting development of an ‘ulu industry will help revive the harvesting of ‘ulu and create a valuable commercial crop that will increase food security and self-sufficiency in Hawaii.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2069 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Higher Education,

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair