STAND. COM. REP. NO. 702

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1142

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1142, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to encourage good agricultural practices, including the safe production, distribution, and consumer handling of food, by:

 

     (1)  Establishing a food safety and security program within the Department of Agriculture;

 

     (2)  Making an appropriation to the Department of Agriculture for the food safety and security program; and

 

     (3)  Providing a grant pursuant to chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to 4Ag Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Russell S. Kokubun, Chairperson, Board of Agriculture.

 

     Your Committee finds that good agricultural practices result in safe products and eliminate the potential for product contamination.  Throughout the world, farmers are adopting recognized standards for human hygiene, animals and their manures, water quality for irrigation and produce rinse, and agricultural pesticides, among other things.  Locally, the Department of Agriculture can support the growth of the agriculture industry by providing training, certification, support, and assistance on food safety and security issues.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting the grant to the 4Ag Hawaii nonprofit corporation to expand its outreach and electronic educational initiatives, and the related purpose section;

 

     (2)  Deleting Part I and Part II designations;

 

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of style, clarity, and consistency.

 

     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. 1142, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1142, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair