STAND. COM. REP. NO. 38

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 249

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 249 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an appropriation to the Department of Agriculture to:

 

     (1)  Acquire a slaughterhouse within the Campbell Industrial Park on the island of Oahu;

 

     (2)  Fund necessary construction, renovation, and improvement projects at the slaughterhouse; and

 

     (3)  Purchase equipment for the slaughterhouse.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Livestock Cooperative; the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Wong's Meat Market, Ltd.; Alluvion, Inc.; and the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Animal Advocate Inc. and 8 individuals.  The Department of Agriculture provided comments. 

 

     Your Committee finds that the majority of locally-raised cattle are shipped to the mainland for finishing and slaughter.  The purchase and improvement of a slaughterhouse by the Department of Agriculture will promote an increase in local ranching and cattle production. 

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by removing the specific dollar amount of the appropriation to encourage further discussion.  

 

     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. 249, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 249, 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,

 

 

 

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair