STAND. COM. REP. NO.2339

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: S.B. No. 2666

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2666 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A SEAL OF QUALITY FOR FRESH AND PROCESSED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a seal of quality program for fresh and processed agricultural products that are produced within the State.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Agriculture, Agribusiness Development Corporation, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Kilauea Agronomics, LLC, Maui County Farm Bureau, Meadow Gold Dairies, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii, Del Monte, Floral Resources/Hawaii, Inc., and Hawaii Tropical Flower Council.

Your Committees find that Hawaii's agricultural products inherently maintain a distinct and well-deserved reputation of freshness, value, and quality in the market. In order to compete nationally and internationally, there needs to be a consolidated and uniform method of indicating that an agricultural product originates from Hawaii and carries with it Hawaii's valuable goodwill. Your Committees find that this measure establishes a program that provides Hawaii's agriculture industry a labeling standard that preserves and enhances the value of their Hawaiian products.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the language that establishes a marketing alliance to develop and implement the seal of quality branding program; and

(2) Authorizing the department of agriculture to contract with nonprofit corporations to assist in developing and implementing the seal of quality branding program.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2666, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2666, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing,

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RON MENOR, Chair

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JAN YAGI BUEN, Chair