STAND. COM. REP. NO.  899

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 487

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 487, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to support local agriculture by expanding the Livestock Revitalization Program by, among other things:

 

     (1)  Adding the production of goat's milk, sheep, lamb, fish, and crustaceans to the activities of a qualified producer to extend the livestock feed subsidy to these products;

 

     (2)  Establishing production minimums respectively applicable to lactating milking goats, and fish and crustaceans, for subsidy granting purposes; and

 

     (3)  Appropriating moneys for the livestock feed subsidy and to fund the administrative costs of the Livestock Revitalization Program.

 

     Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; Local Food Coalition; Ulupono Initiative; Mikilua Poultry Farm, Inc.; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council; and a few individuals offered testimony in support of this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by, among other things:

 

     (1)  Reducing the production minimums for qualified producers and the corresponding feed subsidy to encompass a flock, herd, or sale size of smaller farms;

 

     (2)  Creating a subsidy for qualified feed developers who grow feed and sell it to qualified producers;

 

     (3)  Leaving the appropriation amount unspecified and adding qualified feed developer costs to the purposes for which the appropriation may be used; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 487, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 487, H.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair