STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3447

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1654

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 1654, H.D. 2, 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 to the Department of Agriculture for feral pig control, including grants for fencing and corral traps and a program to reduce feral pig populations.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council; Maui County Farm Bureau; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawaii Crop Improvement Association; Kauai County Farm Bureau; Punachick's Farm, LLC; Larry Jefts Farms, LLC; Shaka Forrest Farms LLC; Kahuku Farms, Inc.; Ponololo Ranch; Ono Pop's Kauai; Hole in the Mountain Farm LLC; Bayer Crop Science Hawaii; Waihale Products; A Special Touch Flowers; Tropical Dreams Ice Cream; Pioneer Hi-Bred; Em Hawaii, LLC; M Nakamura Nursery LLC; KHK Ranch LLC; Yee's Orchard; Main Family Farm; Ohana Farm Orchards; Ajar Inc., Aileen's Nursery; Aikane Plantation; Rusty's Hawaiian; Maui Cattle Company; KM Farm and Ranch; Hartung Brothers, Hawaii LLC; Wines of Kauai; Matsuda-Fukuyama Farms; The GrassMaster; and thirty-one individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Animal Rights Hawai‘i and one individual.

Your Committee finds that feral pigs have been particularly damaging to farms and ranches statewide, where their numbers have been growing exponentially. Your Committee notes that feral pigs pose a significant threat to local economies by destroying agricultural crops and livestock, damaging Hawaii's ecology through invasive seed dispersal, competing with native wildlife, and posing a threat to human health and safety. According to testimony received by your Committee, the funding provided by this measure will allow the Department of Agriculture to develop and implement a much-needed control plan to limit the negative impacts produced by feral pigs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing language referencing grants to allow the Department of Agriculture to expend the funds for fencing and corral traps by other funding mechanisms;

(2) Adding language directing the Department of Agriculture to collaborate with the Department of Land and Natural Resources to increase feral pig control;

(3) Inserting an appropriation of $1,000,000; and

(4) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2020.

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 H.B. No. 1654, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1654, H.D. 2, 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