STAND. COM. REP. NO.  132-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2417

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Economic Development & Business Concerns and Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2417 entitled:

 

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

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to strengthen Hawaii's agriculture industry by initiating planning by the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC), for a statewide agricultural cooperative to be established by July 1, 2009.

 

     ADC and Maui County Farm Bureau supported the intent of this bill.  Comments were provided by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDAG).

 

     Your Committee heard testimony that ADC, while having the expertise for this project, would lack the resources needed to support the project.  Upon further reflection, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Transferring responsibility for planning the formation of a statewide agricultural cooperative from ADC to HDAG;

 

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2034, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development & Business Concerns and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2417, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2417, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development & Business Concerns and Agriculture,

 

 

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair

 

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair