STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2667

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2428

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 2428 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Hawaii Agricultural Investment Program within the Agribusiness Development Corporation to support local agricultural producers; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the Hawaii Agricultural Investment Program and establish two full-time equivalent positions for the Program.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Agribusiness Development Corporation, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, Hawaii Food Industry Association, and Hawaii Food+ Policy.

Your Committees find that although local agriculture is essential to the economy in Hawaii, approximately eighty-five percent of all food consumed in the State is imported. Your Committees find that this imbalance leaves the State vulnerable to natural disasters, supply chain disruptions, and future impacts on national and global food production related to climate change.

Your Committees further find that the State must increase its local food production to meet its ambitious food security and self-sustainability goals. Therefore, this measure establishes the Hawaii Agricultural Investment Program to provide direct assistance to local food producers and support the local agricultural sector.

Your Committees have amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2428, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2428, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

________________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair