HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2026

 

COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & FOOD SYSTEMS

Rep. Cory M. Chun, Chair

Rep. Matthias Kusch, Vice Chair

 

Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa

Rep. Sean Quinlan

Rep. Nicole E. Lowen

Rep. Lauren Matsumoto

Rep. Amy A. Perruso

 

 

 

NOTICE OF HEARING

 

DATE:

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

TIME:

9:30 AM

PLACE:

VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE

Conference Room 325

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

 

 

 

Click here to submit testimony and to testify remotely or in person.

 

A live stream link of all House Standing Committee meetings will be available online

shortly before the scheduled start time.

 

Click here for the live stream of this meeting via YouTube.

 

 

 

A G E N D A

 

HB 1602

Status

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Appropriates funds to establish one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) grant specialist position within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity.

 

AGR, FIN

HB 2246

Status

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL GRANT ADMINISTRATION.

Creates an agricultural grant program and revolving fund for the purposes of grant application, execution, reporting and auditing to be administered by the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity.  Effective July 1, 2026.

 

AGR, FIN

HB 1707

Status

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Establishes a Local Agriculture Transportation Cost Reimbursement Program within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to reimburse eligible ranchers and farmers a portion of their costs to transport livestock, livestock products, agricultural commodities, and certain supplies, under certain conditions.  Establishes a position to administer the Program.  Appropriates funds. 

 

AGR, FIN

HB 2216

Status

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LOANS.

Authorizes the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to package and sell a portion of its agricultural loan portfolio to permitted third parties.  Appropriates funds out of the Agricultural Loans Revolving Fund to increase its expenditure ceiling.

 

AGR, FIN

HB 2594

Status

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Directs the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to conduct a study on insurance coverage for small agricultural producers.  Requires a report to the Legislature.  Appropriates funds.

 

AGR, FIN

HB 2595

Status

RELATING TO REGIONAL AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PRODUCTION.

Establishes the Regional Agricultural Feasibility and Food Systems Production Studies Working Group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to provide coordinated, region-specific agricultural production and crop feasibility analysis across the State.  Requires reports to the Legislature.  Appropriates funds.  Repeals 6/30/2028.

 

AGR, FIN

HB 2155

Status

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to revitalize and enhance the Agricultural Statistics Program to collect data on local agricultural interests.  Appropriates funds.

 

AGR, FIN

HB 2113

Status

RELATING TO NATURAL RESOURCES.

Appropriates funds for the removal of overgrown vegetation from the Kainahola Stream.

 

AGR, FIN

HB 2207

Status

RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES.

Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish rules allowing the sale and distribution of fine mesh nets, including monofilament netting, in the State to protect plants from the coconut rhinoceros beetle.

 

AGR, CPC

HB 1832

Status

RELATING TO AQUACULTURE.

Requires establishment of a biological aquatic risk-based framework for assessment and approval of aquatic livestock importation and movement.  Authorizes the Division of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to adopt rules implementing species risk categorization, tiered biocontainment standards, per-arrival disease testing, and interagency coordination procedures.  Establishes an interagency working group.  Requires development of species-specific risk matrices, interagency working group coordination with automatic permit approval timelines, and performance accountability.  Establishes an implementation timeline.  Appropriates moneys.

 

AGR, FIN

HB 2015

Status

RELATING TO COFFEE LABELING.

Clarifies the labeling and advertising requirements for coffee that is grown and processed in the State.  Defines "regional origin".

 

AGR, CPC

HB 2152

Status

RELATING TO DOG ATTACKS.

Clarifies owner liability and increases penalties and enforcement mechanisms for dog attacks on livestock.

 

AGR, JHA

 

 

 

 

DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW

 

Persons wishing to offer comments should submit testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing.  Testimony received after this time will be stamped late and left to the discretion of the chair to consider.  While every effort will be made to incorporate all testimony received, materials received on the day of the hearing or improperly identified or directed, may not be processed.

 

Testimony submitted will be placed on the legislative website.  This public posting of testimony on the website should be considered when including personal information in your testimony.

 

The chair may institute a per-testifier time limit.

 

Committees meeting in the morning must adjourn prior to the day's Floor Session.  Therefore, due to time constraints, not all testifiers may be provided an opportunity to offer verbal comments.  However, written submissions will be considered by the committee.

 

Please refrain from profanity or uncivil behavior.  Violations may result in ejection from the hearing without the ability to rejoin.

 

For remote testifiers, the House will not be responsible for bad connections on the testifier's end.

 

For general help navigating the committee hearing process, please contact the Public Access Room at (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov.

 

The livestream and/or cable TV broadcast of this meeting will include closed captioning.  If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation (including oral, written, or ASL interpretive services) or are unable to submit testimony via the website due to a disability, please contact the committee clerk at (808) 586-6170. Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled.

 

Click here for a complete list of House Guidelines for remote testimony.

 

FOR AMENDED NOTICES:  Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are bolded.

 

For more information, please contact the Committee Clerk at (808) 586-6170.

 

 

 

 

 

________________________________________

Rep. Cory Chun

Chair