STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1639-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.R. No. 70

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.R. No. 70 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR CONDUCT A PERFORMANCE AUDIT OF THE TEN AGRICULTURAL PARKS OPERATED BY THE AGRICULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Office of the Auditor to conduct a performance audit of the ten agricultural parks operated by the Agricultural Resource Management Division of the Department of Agriculture; and submit a report of its performance audit, including any findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the Regular Session of 2023.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Ho‘ōla Farms and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Agriculture operates ten agricultural parks on the islands of Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i, Moloka‘i, and O‘ahu. These agricultural parks contain a total of two hundred twenty-seven plots that provide access to irrigation and other infrastructure designed to support small family farms. The State's Agricultural Park Program is intended to make land available to small farmers at reasonable cost with long-term leases to help Hawai‘i grow more of its own food. Your Committee further finds that issues with the management, or lack thereof, of some plots by the Department of Agriculture warrant this audit, especially in light of the legal action that has been filed against the Department of Agriculture regarding its management practices for a certain agricultural park.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1) Amending its title in accordance with its amended purpose; and

     (2) 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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 70, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 70, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair