STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2132

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2894

S.D. 1

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. 2894 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require 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 Hawaii's most highly imported food crops.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Agribusiness Development Corporation; University of Hawaii System Government Relations Office; Ulupono Initiative; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Ho‘omanapono Political Action Committee; Ka Ohana O Na Pua; Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; and two individuals.

Your Committees find that the Office of Planning, in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, issued a report in October 2012, entitled "Increased Food Security and Food Self-Sufficiency Strategy: A State Strategic/Functional Plan Prepared in Accordance with HRS Chapter 226 Hawaii State Plan and the Hawaii Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy". The executive summary of the report states in pertinent part, "The purpose of the Increased Food Security and Food Self-Sufficiency Strategy (Strategy) is to increase the amount of locally grown food consumed by Hawaii residents. This will increase food self-sufficiency which is a component of food security. The Strategy is a living document intended as a first step toward continued dialog and implementation." Your Committees further find that an important step to increasing local food production is to identify crops currently imported that may be grown in Hawaii instead. Accordingly, this measure is that next step toward increasing local food production in the State.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Extending the deadline for the Department of Agriculture to submit its report on its crop performance testing trials from twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2019 to twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2020; and

(2) Providing that the appropriation shall not lapse until June 30, 2020.

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. 2894, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2894, S.D. 1, 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