STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3243

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1616

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water, Land, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 1616, H.D. 1, 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) Clarify that the disposition of agricultural park lots for commercial activity may occur after the initial development of the agricultural park and regardless of whether the applicable county council approved plans and specifications for the future disposition of lots for commercial activity, with certain exceptions; and

(2) Authorize the care and production of swine and swine products within certain agricultural parks and under certain conditions.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, Malama O Puna, and Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity.

Your Committees find that the State currently imports around ninety percent of its food and that many local farms struggle to maintain financial viability due to current statutory limits on the activities of agricultural parks. Specifically, commercial activity, including processing, marketing, displaying products, and other value-added activities, is limited to what is identified during the initial agricultural park development process, a practice that thwarts the economic growth and sustainability of local farmers. Your Committees also find that expanding the scope of purposes authorized for agricultural parks can promote further economic productivity of the State's agricultural sector. This measure will help increase and sustain the output of state agricultural parks, promote local food production, and decrease the State's dependence on imported food.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity shall provide notice to, consult with, and allow comment from, the applicable county before approving new commercial activities within an agricultural park; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water, Land, Culture and the Arts that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1616, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1616, H.D. 1, 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 Water, Land, Culture and the Arts,

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair