STAND. COM. REP. NO. 909

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 86

S.D. 1

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. 86 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Agriculture to update the state agriculture functional plan.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Hawaii Farmers Union United, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and two individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development and Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that since the state agriculture functional plan was last updated in 1991, Hawaii's agricultural industry has significantly grown and diversified to include flowers and nursery products, vegetables, fruits, forest products, cacao, coffee, and aquaculture. Updating the state agriculture functional plan will help to provide guidance for agricultural development in Hawaii that considers how agriculture has changed over the past thirty years.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the requirement for the Department of Agriculture to include seafood sustainability in the updated state agriculture functional plan;

(2) Clarifying that the State's priorities are increasing local food self-sufficiency and exports;

(3) Providing the Governor with one additional year to submit the updated state agriculture functional plan;

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

(5) 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. 86, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 86, S.D. 1.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair