STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3572

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 129

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.C.R. No. 129 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO ESTABLISH A SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP AN INTERAGENCY FOOD SYSTEMS PLAN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request:

(1) The Department of Agriculture (Department) establish a Sustainable Food Systems Working Group (Working Group) to develop an Interagency Food Systems Plan (Plan);

(2) The Working Group submit the Plan and its recommendations for the implementation of the Plan to the Legislature before the Regular Session of 2025;

(3) The Department provide any necessary administrative and staff support to the Working Group; and

(4) The Working Group be dissolved on June 30, 2025.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Food Industry Association, Local Food Coalition, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, and two individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that the State imports eight-five percent of its food, making it vulnerable to natural and man-made disasters. Your Committee further finds that the development of a sustainable food system for the State would not only make its local food production more resilient, but also support "green" job creation, sustainable economic development, land stewardship, and climate change resiliency. This measure establishes a temporary Sustainable Food Systems Working Group to guide the establishment of an efficient and effective sustainable food system for the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the composition of the Working Group to include members from the:

(A) Department of Health;

(B) Office of Hawaiian Affairs; and

(C) Office of Planning and Sustainable Development;

(2) Requesting that the Working Group also address the following:

(A) Food waste;

(B) Sustainable fisheries;

(C) Food systems resilience; and

(D) Disaster preparation and response;

(3) Amending the list of recipients of certified copies to include the Director of Health, Chief Executive Officer of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Director of the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; and

(4) 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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 129, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 129, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair