STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1373-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2894

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2894, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase food security and food self-sufficiency by requiring and providing funds to the Department of Agriculture, in coordination with the Agribusiness Development Corporation and University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, to conduct crop performance testing trials on state agricultural lands of the top food crops imported into the State between 2012 and 2017 and report its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature.

The Agribusiness Development Corporation, Ulupono Initiative, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, and Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i supported this measure. The Department of Agriculture and University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources submitted comments on this measure.

Your Committees have amended this measure by requiring the Department of Agriculture to coordinate with the University of Hawaii System, rather than the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, and to also coordinate with soil and water conservation districts and the Hawaii Food Industry Association.

Your Committees note that copra, industrial hemp, and their value-added products should be given consideration as suitable food crop candidates for inclusion in the crop performance testing trials to be conducted by the Department of Agriculture.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2894, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2894, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________ ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair

____________________________ RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair