STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1777

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.C.R. No. 208

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development & Business Concerns, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 208, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE LEGISLATURE AND ADMINISTRATION TO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE HAWAII'S AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY'S EFFORTS TOWARD SUCCESSFUL CO-EXISTENCE AMONG ITS SECTORS AND TO RECOGNIZE THE ECONOMIC, HUMAN, AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF SUCH CO-EXISTENCE IN A DIVERSIFIED AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support and encourage Hawaii's agricultural community's efforts toward successful co-existence in a diversified agriculture industry.

Specifically, the measure supports the agricultural community's efforts to:

(1) Promote diverse farming methods, practices, and crops;

(2) Recognize the economic value of diversified agricultural industry supported by mutually supportive co-existence among its sectors; and

(3) Appreciate the value and importance of agricultural research for the benefit of all farmers.

The measure also requests the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation to bring stakeholders together in a meaningful process toward co-existence and report its findings to the Department of Agriculture. The measure further requests that the Department of Agriculture, upon receiving the report from the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, hold a public meeting to allow the public an opportunity to receive the findings and recommendations.

The Department of Agriculture, the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the University of Hawaii College of Tropic Agriculture and Human Resources, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, the Big Island Farm Bureau, Maui County Farm Bureau, the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, the Hawaii Alliance for Responsible Technology and Science, the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Tropical Hawaiian Products, and several individuals submitted testimony in support of the measure. Life of the Land supported the measure with amendments.

Testimony in opposition to the measure was received from the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association, the Respiratory and Environmental Disabilities Association of Hawaii, GMO-Free Hawaii, and several individuals.

Your Committees have amended the measure by deleting references to Enterprise Honolulu and the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs as two of the entities seeking to establish a broad-based dialogue on agricultural biotech and inserting therefor references to genetically modified organism-free, organic, and conventional farmers as parties interested in establishing such a dialogue. Your Committees have also clarified that the purpose of conducting the public hearing by the Department of Agriculture is to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the findings made by the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, not just to receive the report. Your Committees also have corrected a typographical error and made technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of style and clarity.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development & Business Concerns that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 208, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 208, S.D. 1, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Economic Development & Business Concerns,

 

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair

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FELIPE P. ABINSAY, JR., Chair