STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2048

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2572

S.D. 1

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. 2572 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:

(1) To establish an annual import substitution grant program to encourage Hawaii farmers and growers to identify and grow food and nonfood alternative products to phase out imports of high-risk pathway food and commodities by 2027; and

(2) For outreach materials to encourage Hawaii residents to buy local products and foster a sense of pride and self-responsibility in protecting Hawaii's agriculture, environment, and lifestyle.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Hawaii Floriculture & Nursery Association; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; and Hawaii Farmers Union United.

Your Committee finds that import substitution projects assist farmers in improved decision-making on what food and non-food import replacement products to grow, based on the potential food and non-food item's cost of production, disease and pest vector risk, and agronomic information. Your Committee further finds that the Department of Agriculture already has a number of import substitution projects in place; therefore, establishment of a new grant program is not necessary at this time. Your Committee further finds that the existing Department of Agriculture buy local program is effective and efficient; therefore, contracting with a professional public relations firm is not necessary.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Appropriating funds for the Department of Agriculture to conduct import substitution projects, rather than establish an annual import substitution grant program; and

(2) Deleting language that appropriated funds for the Department of Agriculture to contract with a professional public relations firm.

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. 2572, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2572, S.D. 1, 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