STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2068

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2085

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2085 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a grant program to be administered by the Agribusiness Development Corporation to provide grants for agriculture-related improvements to existing and emerging farms and agribusiness operations.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Agribusiness Development Corporation; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Land Use Research Foundation; Ulupono Initiative; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; and Oahu County Legislative Priorities Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that the ability of the Agribusiness Development Corporation to issue grants will provide a means to assist local farming operations, make investments to strengthen and diversify Hawaii's agriculture, attract and retain businesses, and streamline the Corporation's operations.  Your Committee further finds that a grant program may help foster partnerships to facilitate agribusiness projects and help grow Hawaii's agriculture industry.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting language that placed an annual cap of $100,000 on grants received by a qualified person or entity; and

 

     (2)  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 and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2085, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2085, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair