STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1564

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 743

S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 743, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COFFEE PEST CONTROL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support and protect Hawaii's coffee industry by responding effectively to ongoing and severe threats posed by coffee pests by:

(1) Extending the sunset date of the Department of Agriculture's coffee berry borer and coffee leaf rust pesticide subsidy program to June 30, 2025; and

(2) Extending the Department of Agriculture's pesticide subsidy program manager position until June 30, 2026.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Kona Coffee Farmers Association, Hawaii Coffee Association, Hawaii Coffee Growers Association, Kanalani Ohana Farm, Rancho Aloha Coffee Farm, Synergistic Hawai‘i Agriculture Council, Ma‘alahi Farm, Mai Mahealani Farm, Bayview Farm, Kuaiwi Farm, and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that the extension of the coffee berry borer and coffee leaf rust pesticide subsidy program and the inclusion of coffee leaf rust in the program should be viewed as a modest investment in one of Hawaii's signature and most lucrative agricultural commodities.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Broadening the scope of the subsidy program, including the subsidy program manager position, to include fertilizer and renaming the program and position as the Pesticide and Fertilizer Subsidy Program and Pesticide and Fertilizer Subsidy Program Manager respectively;

(2) Changing its effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; 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 Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 743, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 743, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair