Honolulu, Hawaii
S.D. 1
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-First State Legislature
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 2621, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to control the spread of bovine tuberculosis among livestock and feral ungulates on Molokai, including the associated expenses for staff, land acquisition, and equipment.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Department of Agriculture.
According to the Department of Agriculture, bovine tuberculosis has been detected in livestock on Molokai after twenty-five years without detections. Your Committee finds that this measure provides resources necessary for the effective control of the disease, including on-island personnel to conduct surveillance testing and expanded outbreak response activities, as well as to perform monitoring and information gathering, and for land acquisition to construct an on-island facility to increase efficiency and safety in processing animals for testing.
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. 2621, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,
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MARK J. HASHEM, Chair |
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