STAND. COM. REP. NO.  527

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   H.B. No. 891

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 891 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LOANS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to financially assist qualified farmers through amendments to the Department of Agriculture's agricultural loan program to address farmers' current needs by:

 

(1)  Establishing a Biosecurity Project Loan Program to provide loans to farmers for biosecurity projects to protect the health of livestock, poultry, and humans from diseases, pests, and pathogens and measures that prevent disease causing agents from entering, spreading, or leaving the farm premises; and

 

(2)  Standardizing the Department's loan insurance, participation, and guaranty functions for all types of loans offered under its agricultural loan program.

 

     The Department of Agriculture and the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation supported this measure.  Animal Rights Hawaii opposed this measure.

 


     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. 891 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair