STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1030

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1588

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1588, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to assist Hawaii farmers in obtaining Good Agricultural Practices certifications.

Specifically, this measure appropriates funds for the establishment of a GroupGAP food safety training and certification program.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Education, University of Hawaii, Office of the Mayor of the County of Maui, North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Fish Company Inc., Hawaii Food+ Policy, and three individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that the GroupGAP program was created by the United States Department of Agriculture in 2015 to assist small farms with attaining Good Agricultural Practices certification. Your Committee further finds that the GroupGAP program reduces the cost of food safety certification by spreading the training, technical assistance, and auditing costs between all farms in the group.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the amount appropriated from $1,000,000 to an unspecified sum;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1588, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1588, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair