STAND. COM. REP. NO.  15

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 186

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 186 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COFFEE BERRY BORER BEETLE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to help protect the coffee industry in Hawaii by extending for an additional two years the sunset date of the pesticide subsidy program for coffee farmers who purchase pesticides containing Beauveria bassiana, a naturally occurring fungus known to cause high rates of mortality in coffee berry borers.

The Hawaii Farm Bureau; Hawaii Coffee Company; ILWU Local 142; Greenwell Farms; Hawaii Farmers Union United; Kona Coffee Farmers Association; Sugai Kona Coffee Products, Inc.; Hawaii County Council members representing districts 6 and 8; and numerous concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Hawaii Coffee Association supported the measure with amendments.  The Department of Agriculture supported the intent of the measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 186, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 186, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

RICHARD P. CREAGAN, Chair