STAND. COM. REP. NO. 20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1060

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 1060 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a low interest biosecurity loan program to assist the livestock industry.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Farmers Union United.

 

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii's livestock industry is economically and culturally significant with its long paniolo history as well as providing whole hog carcasses for imus and Chinatown markets.  Livestock operations are susceptible to the introduction of pests and diseases that can affect the health and welfare of the animals, and in some cases may affect the health and well-being of people who come in contact with the animals or farm products.  Installing biosecurity measures serves to protect the health of poultry and livestock by reducing the introduction of diseases, pests, and pathogens into farm operations as well as reducing the spread of the diseases or pathogens to other farms.  Biosecurity measures are increasingly being required by federal programs to ensure a safe food supply.  While these measures help protect the farm and consumers, they often do not result in additional profits for the operation; therefore low interest loans will assist livestock operations to insure the sustainability of Hawaii's livestock industry.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     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 S.B. No. 1060, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1060, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair