STAND. COM. REP. NO.  278

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 573

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 573 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HAWAII GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to achieve the State's goal of food security, sustainability, and self-sufficiency by establishing and funding a Hawaii Good Agricultural Practices Program within the Department of Agriculture to develop science- and risk-based good agricultural practices that reasonably reduce the potential for on-farm food-borne illness along with corresponding education and compliance certification programs.

A member of the Maui County Council, the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and a concerned individual supported this measure.  The Department of Agriculture supported the intent of this measure.

     Your Committee notes that the Hawaii Good Agricultural Practices Program will assist small farmers in Hawaii in complying with the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 when they come under the authority of the Act, which authorizes the Food and Drug Administration to set minimum criteria for preventing food-borne illnesses.

     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 H.B. No. 573 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

CLIFT TSUJI, Chair