STAND. COM. REP. NO. 819

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 1065

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1065, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii for various agricultural research and market development programs.

Specifically, this measure appropriates $500,000 for the continued development of high-value agricultural products, a breeding program to provide new agricultural products, the assessment of local and export markets, development of industry assessments, disease prevention programs, and other high-priority needs.

Furthermore, this measure requires the appropriations to be added to the base budget of the University of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that agricultural research is critical to the survival of Hawaii's agricultural industry in the global market. More specifically, the agricultural industry in Hawaii is dependent upon the research and extension services of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. The decline in state funding over the past several years has adversely affected the ability of producers to remain competitive in that global market. Accordingly, your Committee finds that the appropriations under this measure must be added to the base budget of the University of Hawaii in order to solidify the financial foundations of the University of Hawaii's agricultural research and development activities.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the appropriation figure to an unspecified amount for the purposes of continuing discussion on the matter. Your Committee has also amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1065, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1065, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair