STAND. COM. REP. NO. 73

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 1356

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1356 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote native Hawaiian customary and traditional practices through subsistence farming by:

(1) Clarifying that "customary and traditional subsistence farming" is a protected activity under the Hawaii Right to Farm Act;

(2) Establishing that the cultivation of crops and activities related to game, fish, and livestock on agricultural lands may be for economic use or "customary and traditional subsistence farming"; and

(3) Adding to the economic objectives and policies for agriculture in the Hawaii State Planning Act a new policy to assure the right of native Hawaiian cultural practitioners to engage in customary and traditional subsistence farming for direct personal or family consumption.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Koa Ike and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Office of Planning.

Your Committee finds that promoting and protecting customary and traditional subsistence farming by native Hawaiian cultural practitioners is an important goal for the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1356, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1356, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair