STAND. COM. REP. NO. 43

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 307

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. 307 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL PARK LEASES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Agriculture to extend the agricultural park lease of any lessee who holds a lease with a remaining term of fifteen years or less as long as the land covered by the lease is twenty-five acres or less and located in a county with a population of less than five hundred thousand.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Local Food Coalition, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Maui County Farm Bureau, Bromeliads Hawaii LLC, and five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that there is a pressing need to increase the number of farmers statewide to realistically achieve the level of farming necessary to meet the State's goals for food security and sustainability. This measure encourages the ongoing viability of agricultural operations in the State to continue without disruption and maximize the local production of agricultural goods.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

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. 307, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 307, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water & Land.

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

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CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair