STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1077

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 503, 504, 505, 506

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 503, 504, 505, and 506, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

Advisory Committee on Pesticides

 

G.M. No. 503

JAMES ESCHLE,

for a term to expire 6-30-2016;

 

G.M. No. 504

JEFFREY KERMODE,

for a term to expire 6-30-2016;

 

G.M. No. 505

JOHN MCHUGH,

for a term to expire 6-30-2015; and

 

G.M. No. 506

ROGER BREWER,

for a term to expire 6-30-2015,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by the nominees and finds James Eschle, Jeffrey Kermode, John McHugh, and Roger Brewer to possess the requisite commitment, sincerity, dedication, and qualifications to be nominated to the Advisory Committee on Pesticides. 

 


JAMES ESCHLE

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this nominee from the Department of Agriculture and Hawaii Pest Control Association. 

 

     Dr. Eschle received his Doctorate of Philosophy in Entomology from the University of Wisconsin.  He has thirteen years of experience in applied research and project management at the United States Department of Agriculture, where he focused on the biology and control of insects affecting livestock.  He has significant experience as a consultant in termite control and would serve as the representative from the structural pest control industry.  Dr. Eschle has also served as an expert witness in numerous litigation cases involving termite inspections and damages, has conducted hundreds of inspections for realtors, and has provided classes for pest control operators on behalf of the Hawaii Pest Control Association.  Dr. Eschle's ability to process critical information and dedication to matters dealing with pesticides will provide a vital resource to the Advisory Committee on Pesticides. 

 

JEFFREY KERMODE

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this nominee from the Department of Agriculture; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Maui County Farm Bureau; Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; Alexander and Baldwin, Inc.; and Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company.

 

     Mr. Kermode received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography with a specialization in Environmental Studies from the University of British Columbia.  Mr. Kermode worked in  environmental health and safety related fields for over twenty years.  As a consultant, his work ranged from performing environmental site assessments to pollution prevention planning.  For the past four years, Mr. Kermode has been employed as the Environmental Manager for Maui Land and Pineapple Company, where he works on pesticide related issues.  Through his work, Mr. Kermode has developed a deep appreciation for the environment and agriculture in Hawaii.  Mr. Kermode would serve on the committee as a representative from the sugar industry.  Mr. Kermode is uniquely qualified to assess the potential impact of proposed regulations on farming interests and to also ensure that proposed regulations are protective of human health and the environment. 

 

JOHN MCHUGH

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this nominee from the Department of Agriculture; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Maui County Farm Bureau; Hawaii Agriculture Research Center; BEI Hawaii; Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; and four individuals.

 

     Dr. McHugh graduated from the University of Hawaii with a Bachelor of Science degree in General Agriculture and a Master's degree in Horticulture.  Dr. McHugh earned his Doctorate of Philosophy in Entomology from Purdue University.  Dr. McHugh has significant experience in agricultural research and has published extensively in the areas of pest management and Hawaii agriculture.  Dr. McHugh's broad experience includes managing Sumida Farm, Inc., where he increased the production of crops three-fold by implementing improved cultural techniques and practices.  He is a general partner of Crop Care Hawaii, LLC, a company that focuses on farmer education through pesticide recertification training, crop consulting, integrated pest management, sustainable agriculture research and education, soil conservation, grant writing, and extension type activities.  Dr. McHugh would serve on the committee as the representative from the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.  Dr. McHugh's firsthand experience working with Hawaii's farmers and his experience with pests that impact Hawaii agriculture make him well qualified to serve on the Advisory Committee on Pesticides.

 

ROGER BREWER

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this nominee from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, Environmental Science International, and five individuals. 

 

     Dr. Brewer earned his Bachelor's degree in Geology from the University of Alabama, Master's degree in Geology from the University of Tennessee, and Doctorate of Philosophy in Geology from the University of Alabama.  He is currently a Senior Environmental Scientist with the Hawaii Department of Health.  Dr. Brewer would serve on the committee as a representative from the Department of Health.  His environmental experience includes regulatory compliance audits, soil and groundwater investigations, quantitative human health risk assessments, and screening-level ecological risk characterizations.  He gives numerous training classes on methods to identify environmental hazards at contaminated sites and is actively involved in the continued development of state and federal environmental risk assessment programs.  In addition to the Hawaii Department of Health, he has worked for the California Environmental Protection Agency and has done numerous risk assessments for companies all over the world.  Dr. Brewer is a nationally recognized expert in environmental risk assessments, and his breadth of experience will be an asset to the Advisory Committee on Pesticides.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,

 

 

 

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair