STAND. COM. REP. NO. -24
Honolulu, Hawaii
2024
APR 15
RE: S.C.R. No. 52
S.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty—Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2024
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was
referred S.C.R. No. 52, S.D. 1, entitled:
“SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE BOARD OF
AGRICULTURE TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON THE PERCENTAGES OF
AGRICULTURAL LANDS BEING LEASED BY THE STATE THAT ARE
SUITABLE FOR FARMING AND ACTIVELY BEING USED FOR FARMING
PURPOSES AND CERTAIN DOLLAR AMOUNTS RELATING TO LEASE
TRANSFERS,”
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to request the Board of
Agriculture to:
(1) Conduct a study of the percentages of agricultural lands
being leased by the State that are suitable for farming
and actively being used for farming purposes;
(2) Determine certain dollar amounts for each agricultural
lease transferred from one lessee to another lessee;
and
(3) Submit a report to the Legislature before the Regular
Session of 2027.
SCR52 ~SDl HSCR AGR
 STAND. CON. REP. NO.~ ê~% -24
Page 2
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Hawai’i Farm Bureau and one individual.
Your Committee received testimony in opposition from the
Department of Agriculture.
Your Committee finds that state agricultural lands are a
crucial resource for achieving Hawai~i’s goals of economic
diversification and food self-sufficiency, but some subsidized
leases are being used for non-agricultural purposes or remain
unused. Furthermore, the transfer of leases to the highest bidder
can result in windfall profits for lessees and may not ensure that
the land is used by the most suitable farmers for agricultural
production. Your Committee further finds that additional data is
needed to assess the effectiveness of Department of Agriculture
leases in maximizing the benefit of these lands to the State and
to determine whether the transfer of leases results in the
monetization of the difference between the actual and subsidized
lease values for private, rather than State, benefit. This
measure seeks to provide for this data by requesting the Board of
Agriculture to conduct a study.
Your Committee notes testimony received from the Department
of Agriculture stating that the study requested by this measure is
unfunded and would cost approximately $500,000 to conduct.
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 concurs with the intent and purpose of
S.C.R. No. 52, S.D. 1, and recommends that it 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
SCR52 SD1 HSCR AGR
 State of Hawaii
House of Representatives
The Thirty-second Legislature j L4
Record of Votes of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems
Bill/Resolution No.: Committee Referral: Date:
≤~-~52 ~PI A&~, TZ~N c~9J12)2~2L~1
0 The committee is reconsidering its previous decision on the measure.
The recommendation is to: ~‘Pass, unamended (as is) C Pass, with amendments (HD) C Hold
0 Pass short form bill with HD to recommit for future public hearing (recommit)
AGR Members Ayes Ayes (WR) Nays Excused
1. GATES, Cedric Asuega (C)
-~
2. KAHALOA, Kirstin (VC)
3. COCHRAN, Elle
4. LOWEN, Nicole E.
—
~
5. PERRUSO, Amy A.
6.WOODSON, Justin H.
7. WARD, Gene
TOTAL (7)
The recommendation is: ~‘~~dopted ~ Not Adopted
If joint referral, did not support recommendation.
committee acronym(s)
Vice Chair’s or designee’s signature:
Distribution: Original (White) — Committee Duplicate (Yellow) — Chief Clerk’s Office Duplicate (Pink) — HMSO