STAND. COM. REP. NO. 438-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2418

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2418 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the focus, scope, and management of the Agribusiness Development Corporation to reflect the current state of agriculture in Hawaii and focus on statewide needs for export and consumption of local agricultural products.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Earthjustice, Hawai‘i SEED, IslandBreathe.org, and fourteen individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Department of Budget and Finance; Agribusiness Development Corporation; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action; Hawai‘i Food+ Policy; We Are One, Inc.; and eleven individuals.

Your Committee finds that environmental, technological, and other global changes have opened doors to new opportunities for agricultural growth and development while necessitating certain policy, operational, and organizational changes to optimize growth and development of the State's agriculture industry. Your Committee finds that the composition of the members who serve on the Agribusiness Development Corporation Board of Directors is critical to sound leadership and governance, understanding the agriculture industry and its needs, and setting the direction of agribusiness in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Repealing section 163D-8.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which requires that all agricultural projects, agricultural development plans, and project facility programs developed by the Agribusiness Development Corporation be approved by the Board of Agriculture before implementation;

(2) Not specifically requiring that a certain number of Agribusiness Development Corporation Board members that must have substantial experience in local food production and organic and natural farming practices and demonstrated expertise in Native Hawaiian traditional and customary agricultural practices;

(3) Adding certain benchmarks or objectives that must be included among the objectives and measurable outcomes of the Hawaii Agribusiness Plan goals;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(5) 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. 2418, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2418, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair