STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3101

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2722

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2722, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A FOOD HUB PILOT PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a five-year food hub pilot program under the Department of Agriculture and appropriate funds for the program.

More specifically, the measure:

(1) Requires the pilot program to award grant funding for the construction of critical infrastructure to establish and expand food hubs across the State;

(2) Requires the Department of Agriculture to establish criteria for awards, including giving priority to organizations with demonstrated experience in value-additions for delivering local produce to local markets, and other specified criteria; and

(3) Requires the Department to submit reports to the Legislature prior to each of the Regular Sessions of 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Obesity Prevention Task Force, Hawaii Farm to School Hui, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Alternative Structures International (dba Kahumana Organic Farms), Hawaii Farmers Union United, Beyond Pesticides, Recycle Hawaii, HFUU, Maui Farmers Union United, Farm Link Hawaii, Waimanalo Farmers Union, Jones Family Farm, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Maui Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii Farmers Union United-Haleakala Chapter, and twenty individuals.

Your Committee finds that the food hub pilot program established by this measure will help to strengthen the State's food security by providing technical assistance and grant funding to local farmers to increase the scale of production, marketing, and distribution, and thereby increase consumer access to safe, marginally processed, locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation amount from $1,000,000 to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2722, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2722, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair