STAND. COM. REP. NO. 396

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 592

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Health and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 592 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require farmers market vendors that direct-market potentially hazardous value added products to obtain a permit from the Department of Health;

 

     (2)  Exempt non-potentially hazardous value added products from Department of Health permitting or inspection; and

 

     (3)  Establish labeling requirements for value added products sold at farmers markets.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Laakea Community, LLC; Farmer's Marketeers; Hawaii Farm Bureau; and eight individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health and one individual.

 

     Your Committees find that with the recent growth in farmers markets and the demand for local, fresh foods, there has been interest in allowing farmers to direct-market their produce without Department of Health regulation.  Farmers markets allow consumers an opportunity to communicate with those who grow or create the foods they are purchasing and consuming.

 

     Your Committees has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 592, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 592, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Agriculture,

 

____________________________

RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair

 

____________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair