STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2382

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2155

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2155 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LAND USE POTENTIAL,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Agriculture to:

(A) Identify and evaluate each parcel of certain state-owned lands; and

(B) Contract a third-party entity to compile a report that evaluates the agricultural land use potential of certain parcels of state-owned lands greater than five acres; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the report.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; and one individual.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committees find that although it is the goal of the State to double local food production by 2030, eighty-five to ninety percent of the food in the State is imported. Your Committees recognize that not only is forty-two percent of the agricultural land in the State currently unfarmed, but that the government is also the largest landowner in the State. Your Committees further find that to identify and effectively utilize state agricultural lands for food production, a comprehensive report on the agricultural potential of those lands is needed. This measure aims to increase the State's self-sufficiency by providing policy makers with key information regarding the agricultural potential of certain state lands for various crops and livestock production.

According to testimony received by your Committees, an appropriation of $1,000,000 is necessary for the Department of Agriculture to carry out the duties required by this measure.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the requirement for the report to include the nautical direction of each parcel of certain state-owned lands greater than five acres;

(2) Inserting an appropriation amount of $1,000,000; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2155, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2155, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land,

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair