STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2880

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2009

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2009 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE MILK CONTROL,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Establish a $300,000 minimum reserve requirement in the milk control special fund to cover contingency costs in the administration of the State's Milk Control Act; and

 

     (2)  Include audits as a contingency cost to be covered by the reserve in the milk control special fund.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and Ulupono Initiative.

 

     Your Committee finds that the milk industry is vital to the State's economy and food security and must be safeguarded and protected in the public interest.  A minimum reserve requirement will ensure the viability and protection of Hawaii's fragile dairy industry and help revitalize milk production in the State, and this measure will also ensure the availability of reserves for conducting audits related to milk control.

 

     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. 2009, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair