STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3173

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2992

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2992 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish an agricultural investment special fund to accept deposits of moneys to be expended for grants, real property acquisition, equipment, research, and other means of supporting agricultural producers.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Food+ Policy, and Hawaii Food Industry Association.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that establishing the Hawaii Agricultural Investment Program, rather than a special fund, will better help the State meet its food self-sufficiency and sustainability goals and increase the production of locally grown food.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Establishing the Hawaii Agricultural Investment Program, rather than the agricultural investment special fund, to provide fifty percent matching grants for certain activities that increase local agricultural production or processing;

(2) Appropriating an unspecified sum to the Department of Agriculture to establish and fund the Hawaii Agricultural Investment Program;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(4) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2992, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2992, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair