STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3594

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 130

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 130 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND BIOSECURITY TO JOINTLY DEVELOP A FARMER-TO-INSTITUTION COORDINATION PLAN THAT IS ALIGNED WITH THE AINA KITCHEN NETWORK ROLLOUT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Department of Education and Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, in consultation with the Interagency Food Systems Working Group established under Act 239, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025, Agribusiness Development Corporation, and Hawaii Farm Bureau, to jointly develop a Farmer-to-Institution Coordination Plan aligned with the phased rollout of the AINA Kitchen Network.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Food Industry Association, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, and one individual.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committees find that while the first facility of the "AINA Kitchen Network", in development since January 2026, was designed to support local farmers through aggregation, processing, storage, and distribution of locally produced foods, there are insufficiencies that are impeding the kitchen's phased demand requirements. It is critical to establish a coordinated plan, with proper stakeholder input, to help farmers identify, grow, and deliver the crops that the AINA Kitchen Network will need at each phase of its rollout. This measure will close the gap between institutional demand and local production capacity, representing the State's commitment to investing in local food infrastructure across the State.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 130 and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair