STAND. COM. REP. NO. 752

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1295

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1295, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FARMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for a grant program within the Department of Agriculture to assist chicken farmers in meeting the costs of raising chickens for human consumption.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Hawai‘i Farmers Union United, and Hawai‘i Farm Bureau.

Your Committee finds that escalating supply chain costs have placed great financial burdens on farmers in the State. For poultry farmers, who are a critical source of lean protein and eggs, these escalating supply chain costs have resulted in feed costs increasing several fold. This has forced two egg farms to close since 2007. This measure provides much-needed support to a critical sector of local agriculture and food production through a grant program.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Expanding the grant program to farmers who raise chickens for egg laying;

(2) Unspecifying the maximum number of chickens a qualified applicant can raise to qualify for the grant program; and

(3) 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 Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1295, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1295, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair