STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1253

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 463

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 463, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD SAFETY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require and appropriate funds to the Department of Agriculture to partner with the agricultural community to establish a food safety certification training program for small and medium sized farms to comply with federal requirements.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, University of Hawaii System, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Food Industry Association, North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership, and Hawaii Farm Bureau.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Department of Agriculture works in partnership with the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, which trains farmers on how to comply with the federal Food Safety Modernization Act, United States Food and Drug Administration's Produce Safety Rule, and requirements of the United States Department of Agriculture's Good Agricultural Practices requirements.  Your Committee also finds that compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act and Good Agricultural Practices certification are important for helping to ensure food safety and marketing and farm success.

 

     Your Committee further finds that by requiring the Department of Agriculture to partner with the local agricultural community to develop and establish a food safety certification training program, this measure will help local farms produce food that meets certain food safety standards and spur an increase in the supply of safe, locally grown food.  Your Committee also finds that an appropriation of $150,000 in each year of fiscal biennium 2019-2021 is necessary to achieve the intent of this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure accordingly by:

 

     (1)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $150,000 for each fiscal year of the 2019-2021 biennium;

 

     (2)  Making it effective on July 1, 2019; and

 

     (3)  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 H.B. No. 463, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 463, H.D. 1, 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