STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3296

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2085

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2085, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require at least four of the eight members of the Board of the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) to have knowledge, experience, and expertise within certain identified secondary industries related to agriculture.

     Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Agribusiness Development Corporation, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Hawaii Aquaculture Association, McCall Flower Farm, Inc., East Kauai Water Users' Cooperative, Paradise Flower Farms, Inc., Maui County Farm Bureau, and two current ADC board members.  Another ADC current board member submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by adding a requirement that the ADC develop a five year strategic plan and report back to the Legislature before the 2009 Regular Session.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2085, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2085, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

JILL TOKUDA, Chair