STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1383-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2218

S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 2218, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Agriculture to establish a five-year food hub pilot program that provides for the awarding of grant funding to qualified applicants wishing to establish and expand food hubs in each of the counties;

(2) Require the Department of Agriculture to submit to the Legislature interim progress reports on the food hub pilot program prior to the Regular Sessions of 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026, and a final report on its findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation prior to the Regular Session of 2027; and

(3) Appropriate funds for the food hub pilot program and upgrades to the Honalo Marshalling Yard to be developed as a food hub.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability, and Resiliency of the City and County of Honolulu; Department of Research and Development of the County of Hawaii; North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership; Hawai‘i ‘Ulu Producers Cooperative; Hawai‘i Primary Care Association; Kauai Women's Caucus; The Locavore Store; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Ulupono Initiative; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Kanalani Ohana Farm; Hawaii Food Industry Association; The Friends of Makakilo; Hawaii Farmers Union United; Hawai‘i SEED; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawai‘i Pacific Health; Kamehameha Schools; Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action; Hawaii Meats; Aloha Harvest; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that food hubs are centrally located facilities with a business management structure that facilitates aggregation, storage, processing, distribution, and marketing of locally produced food products. Food hubs actively coordinate activities along the value chain, thereby providing small- to mid—sized producers with wider access to institutional and retail markets and increasing consumers' access to fresh healthy food. Your Committee further finds that the establishment of food hubs under a food hub pilot program will support efforts to strengthen the State's food security by facilitating the distribution and consumption of locally grown food.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the food hub pilot program shall terminate on June 30, 2027; 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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2218, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2218, S.D. 1, 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