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.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution urges the Hawaii Departments of Education and Agriculture and Biosecurity to jointly create a Farmer-to-Institution Coordination Plan that aligns with the AINA Kitchen Network rollout. The bill addresses the gap between the state's 2030 goal of sourcing 30% of school meal ingredients locally and the current 5.43% achievement rate, which an audit found resulted in nearly $2 million in unspent federal funds. The proposed plan would identify specific crops needed by the new regional kitchens, assess local production capacity, and outline strategies for helping farmers scale operations through long-term contracts and technical assistance. It requires collaboration with the Interagency Food Systems Working Group and other stakeholders to ensure the coordination plan includes measurable milestones tied to each phase of the AINA Kitchen Network's construction and service timeline.