STAND. COM. REP. NO. 865

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1380

       H.D. 3

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Education and Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1380, H.D. 3, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HAWAII-GROWN PRODUCE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to encourage the use of local produce in Hawaii's schools by:

 

     (1)  Establishing the Farm-to-School Program within the Department of Agriculture to increase procurement of locally-grown produce;

 

     (2)  Establishing the Hawaii-Grown Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program within the Department of Education to facilitate the consumption of nutritious locally-produced snacks to improve and expand the market for locally-grown produce;

    

     (3)  Authorizing all schools to grow food in school gardens for consumption as part of their school lunch program and the Hawaii-Grown Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program; and

 

     (4)  Allowing the Department of Human Services to establish a Farmers-to-Food Banks pilot project to contract with Hawaii farmers so that Hawaii-grown produce may be provided to designated food banks.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Hawaii Nutrition and Physical Activity Coalition, Hawaii County Nutritional and Physical Activity Coalition, Kokua Hawaii Foundation, Hawaii Educational Policy Center, American Heart Association, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, American Cancer Society, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, three individuals, two students from Castle High School, and one student from Kauai High School.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Agriculture, Poamoho Organic Produce, Hawaii School Garden Network Hui, and Hawaii Island School Garden Network.

 

     Your Committees find that providing fresh local produce in Hawaii's schools benefits local farmers and Hawaii's school children.  Establishment of a Farm-to-School Program will not only provide local farmers with a market for their products, but will also educate students on the nutritional, environmental, and economic benefits of preparing and consuming Hawaii-grown produce.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting the language that would have established and appropriated funds for the Hawaii-Grown Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program;

 

     (2)  Deleting the language authorizing schools to grow food for consumption in school gardens;

 

     (3)  Establishing a Hawaii-Grown Produce in Schools Task Force to:

 

          (A)  Examine the feasibility of establishing school gardens to grow food for consumption as part of each school's lunch program;

 

          (B)  Examine the feasibility of establishing a Hawaii-Grown Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program; and

 

          (C)  Advise the Department of Agriculture in the creation and implementation of the Farm-to-School Program;

 

     (4)  Removing section 2 of the measure which would have established the Farmers-to-Food Banks pilot project; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1380, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1380, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Agriculture,

 

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

 

____________________________

JILL TOKUDA, Chair