STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2415

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2361

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2361 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish two grant specialist positions within the Department of Agriculture; and

(2) Appropriate an unspecified amount of funds for the establishment of the two grant specialist positions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Maui County Farm Bureau; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Ka ʻOhana O Na Pua; Ulupono Initiative LLC; Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Local Food Coalition; Ponoholo Ranch, Limited; and five individuals.

Your Committee finds that there are many federal funding opportunities for agricultural purposes that remain untapped or overlooked due to the lack of adequate grant writing and expertise in the Department of Agriculture. This measure will enhance the Department's capacity to pursue and maximize the availability of federal funds to bolster the State's efforts towards food security and sustainability, while easing the burden of complex application procedures and compliance challenges to farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural operators that pursue federal and other funding.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $225,000; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2361, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2361, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair