STAND. COM. REP. NO.315

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.B. No. 223

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 223 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MACADAMIA NUT RESEARCH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate matching funds for macadamia nut research to be conducted in conjunction with the macadamia nut industry.

Your Committee received testimony in favor of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Macadamia Nut Association, and Hawaii Agriculture Research Center.

Your Committee finds that the production levels and quality of Hawaii's macadamia nut trees are in jeopardy in the coming years. Data has indicated that macadamia nut trees reach their peak nut production between fifteen and twenty years of age. Seventy-eight per cent of Hawaii's macadamia trees is within this age range. This measure makes available the funds necessary to conduct research on this problem to ensure the highest quality of Hawaii's macadamia nuts.

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 S.B. No. 223 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

JAN YAGI BUEN, Chair