STAND. COM. REP. NO. 285

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 876

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. 876 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON PESTICIDES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the membership of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides by replacing the statutory requirement for representatives of the pineapple and sugar industries with representatives of the coffee and diversified agriculture industries.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Coffee Association, and five individuals.

Your Committee finds that at the time of the Advisory Committee on Pesticide's establishment, the sugar and pineapple industries were major stakeholders in the State's agricultural landscape, which covered more than 300,000 acres. However, in 2017, those two crops accounted for less than 5,000 acres. In comparison, the diversified agriculture and coffee industries have accounted for more than $84,000,000 and $43,000,000, respectively, in the State. This measure therefore updates the composition of the Advisory Committee to more accurately reflect the current agriculture industry in the State.

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. 876 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair