STAND. COM. REP. NO. 421

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 1630
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B.
No. 1630 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds to the
Department of Agriculture (DOA) for a full-time equivalent
noxious weed specialist position, including other current
expenses and equipment.

     The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation and Garst submitted
testimony in support of the measure.  DOA testified in opposition
to this measure.

     Your Committee notes that the noxious weed specialist's
primary responsibility will be seed certification inspections
year-round for corn seed companies in the State.  This position
will be used to serve the certification needs of the growing seed
industry in the State, which has grown from less than 1,000 acres
to more than 3,000 acres in the last decade.  Your Committee
further notes DOA is the only agency in the State that can
perform these certifications, with final certification obtained
on the U.S. Mainland.  It is your Committee's understanding that
it is only because other states require certification of seed
imported into their jurisdictions that such certification
requirements are necessary in Hawaii.  It is the intent of your
Committee that the subsequent House committee, the Committee on
Finance, receive verification and clarification of this

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 421
                                 Page 2

 
requirement by other jurisdictions, in determining whether seed
certification is an appropriate function of the State.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
1630 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred
to the Committee on Finance.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   FELIPE P. ABINSAY, JR., Chair