STAND. COM. REP. NO.  296-14

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1988

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1988 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to improve access to nutritious foods in public educational institutions and develop the agricultural workforce for the benefit of local farmers and consumers by establishing the Hawaii Farm to School Program within the Department of Agriculture.

 

     The Council Member representing District 9 on the Hawaii County Council, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Kokua Hawaii Foundation, Hawaii Farm to School and School Garden Hui, Kohala Center, Hawaii Island School Garden Network, Farm to Keiki, and numerous concerned individuals supported the measure.  The Hawaii Farm Bureau supported the intent of the measure.  The Department of Agriculture, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and a concerned individual submitted comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by removing the coordination of agricultural education in schools throughout Hawaii from preschool through high school and at the university level as one of the functions of the Hawaii Farm to School Program.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1988, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1988, H.D. 1.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair