STAND. COM. REP. NO. 327-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2595

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred H.B. No. 2595 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REGIONAL AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PRODUCTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the Regional Agricultural Feasibility and Food Systems Production Studies Working Group to provide coordinated, region-specific agricultural production and crop feasibility analysis across the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United; Bayer; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's long-term food security, rural economic resilience, and institutional procurement strategies rely on a clear, data-driven understanding of what crops can be grown profitably, at scale, in different regions of the State. Your Committee further finds that comprehensive agricultural feasibility assessments require a coordinated, multi-agency, evidence-based planning framework to ensure food systems plans are sufficient to support the State's agricultural industry. This measure establishes a working group to provide coordinated, region-specific agricultural production and crop feasibility analysis across the State to produce the necessary data and information to support farmers at all scales.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2595, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2595, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

CORY CHUN, Chair