STAND. COM. REP. 397

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 1434

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1434 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to appropriate $2,500,000 for fiscal year 2003-2004 and $2,500,000 for fiscal year 2004-2005 for the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation to pursue efforts in agricultural research and market development. The funds appropriated shall be apportioned to provide $1,500,000 for research and $1,000,000 for market development for each fiscal year.

The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Maui County Farm Bureau, Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Forest Industry Association, Hawaii Coffee Association, Gay & Robinson, Inc., Alexander and Baldwin, Inc., Hawaii Egg Producers Association, Hawaii Papaya Industry Association, and Jo Ann Johnston & Company supported this bill. The Department of Agriculture and University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources supported the intent of this bill.

 

Your Committee supports agricultural research and market development but recognizes the fiscal constraints that the State faces. Your Committee also notes that legislative apportionment of the funds contained in this bill may limit the flexibility of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation in carrying out research and market development.

In light of these concerns, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation amount to $1,250,000 for fiscal year 2003-2004 and $1,250,000 for fiscal year 2004-2005;

(2) Deleting the apportionment of funds between research and market development; and

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

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. 1434, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1434, H.D. 1, 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