STAND. COM. REP. NO.  325

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1184

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1184 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD SELF-SUFFICIENCY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Agriculture to develop a food sustainability standard to promote local food production to help diversify the local economy, and to appropriate funds for that purpose.

 

     The Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, and a few individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii opposed this measure.  The Department of Agriculture and a few individuals submitted comments.

 

     Your Committee notes that the establishment of a food sustainability standard raises economic policy issues that may be appropriate for consideration by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.  

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

 

     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. 1184, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1184, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JESSICA WOOLEY, Chair