STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 1176
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2025
RE: S.B. No. 448
S.D. 1
H.D. 1
Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2025
State of Hawaii
Madame:
Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred S.B. No. 448, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Agribusiness Development Corporation; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; and Hawai‘i Farmers Union.
Your Committee finds that conservation
easements serve as a tool to preserve agricultural lands, supporting the State's
goal of increasing local food production. Despite ambitious mandates, such as requiring thirty
percent of public school food to be locally sourced by 2030 and fifty percent
of state department produce purchases to be local by 2050, stronger action is
needed to protect agricultural lands for future food production. This measure appropriates funds to the
Agribusiness Development Corporation to acquire a conservation easement on
agricultural lands in Central Oahu, ensuring long-term agricultural viability.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Clarifying that the appropriation is for the Agribusiness Development Corporation to acquire a conservation easement on agricultural lands in Central Oahu;
(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and
(3) 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. 448, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 448, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,
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____________________________ KIRSTIN KAHALOA, Chair |
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