STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2004

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2562

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2562 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Agriculture for the establishment and administration of the agriculture grant program to support local food production in the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Oahu County Legislative Priorities Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; and Ho‘omana Pono, LLC. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that the State's goal of doubling local food production by 2020 necessitates that the Department of Agriculture develop and support loss mitigation and efficiency improvement in the State's agriculture industry. Your Committee further finds that doubling local food production is vital for the State's future well-being and that it is essential to provide the Department of Agriculture with sufficient resources to achieve this goal.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2562 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair