STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3341

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 123

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 Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, to which was referred S.R. No. 123 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE TO DEFINE "AGRICULTURAL HUB" OR "FOOD HUB" AND, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, IDENTIFY AREAS IN THE STATE THAT ARE POTENTIALLY SUITABLE TO BECOME AGRICULTURAL HUBS OR FOOD HUBS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Board of Agriculture to define "agricultural hub" or "food hub" and, in collaboration with the Agribusiness Development Corporation, identify areas in the State that are potentially suitable to become agricultural hubs or food hubs.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Agribusiness Development Corporation and O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committees find that agricultural hubs provide wider access to markets for small to mid-sized farmers and producers who are often unable to afford or manage trucks, warehouses, processing space, and storage themselves, and increase access to fresh, healthy foods for consumers. Your Committees further find that the agricultural hub included under the Whitmore Project will greatly assist local farmers and producers; however, the Department of Agriculture lacks a definition of "agricultural hub" or "food hub" to enable the development of additional hubs in Hawaii that are similar to the agricultural hub proposed under the Whitmore Project. Your Committees additionally find that the Board of Agriculture lacks the authority to amend statute and therefore the Legislature will need to codify a definition for "agricultural hub" or "food hub" in statute.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting that the Board of Agriculture submit a recommended definition of "agricultural hub" or "food hub" to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2019;

(2) Amending its title accordingly; and

(3) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 123, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 123, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair