STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2040-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.C.R. No. 169

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.C.R. No. 169 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PROCESS TO CERTIFY PRIVATELY-OWNED AND OPERATED PLANT QUARANTINE FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Agriculture to develop and implement a process to certify privately owned and operated plant quarantine facilities to allow for increased capacity of plant quarantine facilities in the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Coffee Growers Association. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that one of the responsibilities of the Department of Agriculture's Plant Quarantine Branch is certifying plant quarantine facilities in the State, which are used to help prevent the introduction and spread of harmful pests and diseases, such as coffee leaf rust, into the State. Your Committee further finds that one solution to the spread of certain harmful pests and diseases is to replace existing plant stock with imported, resistant varieties; however, imported plant materials must be quarantined in state quarantine facilities or private, approved quarantine facilities, which are facilities that have received a certificate of approval from the Chief of the Plant Quarantine Branch. By requesting the Department of Agriculture to establish a process to certify privately owned and operated plant quarantine facilities, this measure seeks to increase the State's capacity to quarantine imported plant materials to address various plant pests and diseases that threaten the agricultural industry.

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 S.C.R. No. 169 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair