STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2134

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2563

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 Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 2563 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the operations of the K-12 agriculture workforce development pipeline initiative.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Department of Agriculture; Councilmember Yuki Lei Sugimura of the Maui County Council; Waipahu Intermediate School FFA; Hawaii State Teachers Association; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawaii Coffee Association; Maui County Farm Bureau; O‘ahu County Legislative Priorities Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Hawaii Association of Future Farmers of America; Hawaii Crop Improvement Association; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; and thirty-four individuals.

Your Committees find that Act 229, Session Laws of Hawaii 2016, implemented the recommendation of the Hawaii Agriculture Workforce Advisory Board to establish the K-12 agriculture workforce development pipeline initiative to conduct training on all islands for teachers and school administrators in agricultural self-sufficiency. Your Committees also find that financial support for the initiative is in the best interest of the State as it promotes the expansion and development of the State's agricultural workforce and industry.

Your Committees recommend that in addition to focusing on K‑12 students, the Agriculture Advisory Board also examine the immediate issues preventing adult individuals from entering the agricultural workforce.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2563 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 Labor,

________________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair