STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1267

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 1547

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred S.B. No. 1547, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a food and product innovation network, which is a statewide network of open-access food and value-added product development facilities to enable businesses to scale up new products from research and development to manufacturing and commercialization.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Agribusiness Development Corporation; University of Hawai‘i System; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Ohana Hui Ventures, Inc.; Ulupono Initiative; and Hawaii Food Industry Association.

Your Committee finds that a network of open-access food and value-added product development facilities in Hawaii would support the production of new value-added products so that farmers in the State can increase their incomes while allowing locally-produced value-added goods to compete with imported products, expand into new export markets, and capitalize on the Hawaii brand, thereby strengthening the local economy.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; 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 & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1547, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1547, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Economic Development.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair