STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1388-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2407

S.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 2407, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LAND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the establishment of one full time-equivalent Hawaii Island property manager position within the Agribusiness Development Corporation.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Agribusiness Development Corporation's mission is to facilitate the transformation of Hawaii's former plantation lands and dual-crop industry into diversified, long-term agricultural lands and develop facilities to support diversified agriculture. One such facility that the Corporation is in the process of seeking funding for is a modular cold storage facility on Hawaii island to support local food demand, to be supported by an on-island property manager to ensure community engagement in developing this facility and maximizing its usefulness and scaling throughout the island.

Your Committee further finds that although the facility has yet to be built and funding has not yet been secured, establishing the on-island property manager position now would ensure the availability of support when it is needed.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have appropriated funds for the establishment of one full time-equivalent Hawaii Island property manager position within the Agribusiness Development Corporation;

(2) Inserting language to establish one full time-equivalent Hawaii Island property manager position within the Agribusiness Development Corporation; and

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

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 S.B. No. 2407, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2407, S.D. 2, 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