STAND. COM. REP. NO.  42-14

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1536

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1536 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to achieve food security by employing various means to increase the amount of locally grown food consumed by Hawaii's residents, including:

 

(1)  Establishing an Agricultural Development and Food Security Program in the Department of Agriculture;

 

(2)  Adding policy objectives designed to increase food security and food self-sufficiency into the Hawaii State Planning Act;

 

(3)  Establishing an On-farm Mentoring Program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa; and

 

(4)  Appropriating funds for new and existing programs; new and restored staffing positions; development of regional agriculture infrastructure master plans; promoting locally grown foods; developing good agricultural practices for school gardens; and research, training, and education to promote and support food security and food self-sufficiency in Hawaii.

 

 

     The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Farmers Union United, and several individuals supported this bill.  The Department of Agriculture supported the intent of this measure.  The University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources submitted comments on this bill.

 

Your Committee notes that the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources expressed its opposition to the On-farm Mentoring Program created by this measure.

 

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Deleting provisions that established the On-farm Mentoring Program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources;

 

     (2)  Deleting the appropriation to the University of Hawaii to provide funding for research, training, and education on agricultural food development and food security; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of consistency and conformity.

 

Your Committee respectfully requests the subsequent House committees to consider the following appropriation amounts in their deliberations on this measure:

 

(1)  $3,500,000 to the Department of Agriculture to establish an Agricultural Development and Food Security Program;

 

(2)  $500,000 to the Department of Agriculture to produce locally grown agricultural product promotional materials, along with other endeavors such as in-store promotions;

 

(3)  $500,000 to the Department of Agriculture to expand and improve branding and labeling programs for locally grown foods;

 

(4)  $50,000 to the Department of Agriculture for publicity to promote farmers' markets;

 

(5)  $70,000 to the Department of Education for a farm-to-school pilot program in charter schools;

 

(6)  $50,000 to the Department of Agriculture to develop good agricultural practices for school gardens;

 

(7)  $500,000 to the Department of Agriculture for the establishment of specialists to certify farm food safety;

 

(8)  $500,000 to the Department of Agriculture to develop regional agriculture infrastructure master plans;

 

(9)  $1,000,000 to the Department of Agriculture to restore positions in food inspection, pest control, and biosecurity; and

 

(10) $600,000 to the Department of Agriculture to restore positions in market research and agricultural statistics.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1536, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1536, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committees on Higher Education and Education.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JESSICA WOOLEY, Chair