STAND. COM. REP. NO. 426

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 488

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 488 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Agriculture to conduct a study to determine what methods should be used to establish a Hawaii food security metric system that will accurately reflect how much food is produced locally and how much food is imported.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Planning, Department of Agriculture, Hawai‘i Center for Food Safety, Ulupono Initiative, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Our Revolution Hawaii, and four individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.

Your Committees find that increased local food production and decreased food imports are a top priority of the State to achieve the state goal of sustainability. In order for the State to successfully increase local food production, the State must first have an understanding of how much food is currently produced locally and imported into the State, using appropriate metrics. Your Committees support all efforts to increase local food production in the State, and establishing a metric system to obtain baseline measurements and progress are foundational in this effort.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 488 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair