STAND. COM. REP. NO. 252

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1295

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred H.B. No. 1295 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FARMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Agriculture to provide grants to certain chicken farmers.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Hawai‘i Farmers Union United, Kuwale Ridge Farms, and Hawaii Foodservice Alliance LLC. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Department of the Attorney General, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's poultry industry faces numerous challenges, and the rising cost of feed for livestock production is one of the largest challenges. The grants provided by this measure would assist local farmers with their production costs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Allowing grants to be given for costs that were incurred fewer than five years before the time the application for the grant is received by the Department of Agriculture;

(2) Establishing standards for the grant program;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1295, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1295, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair