STAND. COM. REP. NO. 895

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 624

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 624, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Governor and the Department of Agriculture to develop a strategic plan outlining benchmarks to achieve the Governor's goal of doubling food production by 2020.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Farm Bureau.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

 

     Your Committee finds that Governor Ige recently set the policy goal of doubling food production within the State by 2020.  However, details for achieving this objective have yet to be provided.  Your Committee recognizes that issues such as preserving agricultural land, identifying food crops for local production, and improving irrigation and agricultural infrastructure need immediate attention so that doubling food production can become a realistic objective.  In addition, the federal Food Safety Modernization Act will have significant effects on local agriculture, and these implications must also be considered. 

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Making an appropriation to the Department of Agriculture of an unspecified sum for the development of a strategic plan; and

 

(2)  Changing the effective date to March 9, 2092, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

 

Your Committee requests the Department of Agriculture to notify subsequent committees of the appropriation necessary to develop the strategic plan.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 624, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 624, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair