STAND. COM. REP. NO.1152

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 1434

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1434, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make a grant-in-aid for the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation to pursue efforts in agricultural research and market development.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Farm Bureau; Gay & Robinson, Inc.; Hawaii Agriculture Research Center; the Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii; Hawaii Egg Producers Association; Jo Ann Johnston & Company; North Shore Farms; Maui County Farm Bureau; Hawaii Papaya Industry Association; and Alexander and Baldwin, Inc. Testimony in support of the intent of this measure was submitted by the Board of Agriculture and the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Farm Bureau is working to resolve problems faced by farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural producers. This funding will help the Bureau to fund the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, which has been of great aid to the coffee, papaya, sugarcane, and forestry industries. Another part of the funding will be funneled into ongoing research on pineapple, taro, vegetables, coffee, papaya, ornamental nurseries, tropical fruits and flowers, and macadamia nut crops. The last segment of the funding will go towards agricultural market development on the local level and overseas.

Your Committee also finds that both agricultural research and market development are essential to the success of diversified agriculture in Hawaii. Research helps producers raise their yields through informed choices about which crops to plant, when and where to plant them, how to protect them from pests, and how to optimize post-harvest quality. Market development complements research by expanding the consumer base that knows and values Hawaii's agricultural products.

Your Committee has deleted the dollar amounts to enable determination of appropriate amounts by the Committee on Ways and Means.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1434, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1434, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture,

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair