STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1635

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 118

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 118 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO DESIGNATE AREAS IN EACH COUNTY FOR DAIRY OPERATIONS AND DEVELOP INCENTIVES TO INCREASE DAIRY OPERATIONS IN THE STATE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request that the Department of Agriculture designate areas in each county for dairy operations and develop incentives to increase dairy operations in the State.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Center for Food Safety and Hawai‘i Farm Bureau. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from Keiko Conservation, Vegetarian Society of Hawaii, Animal Rights Hawai‘i, Pele Lani Farm LLC and Aloha Animal Advocates, and ten individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committees find that a recent lawsuit and settlement with a local dairy operator related to violations of the Clean Water Act, including the confirmed release of millions of gallons of animal waste into nearby waterways, and other incidents of dairy waste pollution point to a need to shift away from concentrated dairy operations and toward a more sustainable model of diversified agriculture that includes milk production. Therefore, your Committees find that this measure should be adopted as an initial step toward increasing sustainable dairy farming and milk production in the State.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting that the Department of Agriculture also include in its report to the Legislature an examination of the effects of the Milk Act on the decline of Hawaii's dairy industry and related recommendations that could address potential future issues;

(2) Amending the title to reflect the intent that the State desires to increase dairy operations in the State, instead of only attracting dairy operators to the State; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments 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 Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 118, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 118, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair