This bill establishes a pilot program within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to help local farmers and ranchers pay for transporting their goods and supplies. Eligible participants, including small-scale producers and cooperatives, can receive reimbursements covering up to 50% of their transportation costs or a maximum of $25,000 per year, with a total annual budget cap of $2 million. The program is designed to offset rising shipping expenses and tariffs that currently make it difficult for local agricultural businesses to operate profitably. To ensure accountability, the department must submit an annual report to the legislature detailing how many producers were helped and how much money was spent.
Tags
Agriculture
This Senate Concurrent Resolution requests that the Hawaii Department of Education and the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience support the state's secondary agricultural education program and the Future Farmers of America program. The bill aims to strengthen agricultural education in high schools to help address Hawaii's food security challenges by building a local agricultural workforce through expanded training and experiential learning opportunities. It specifically calls for the university to employ an extension agent to provide professional development and connect agricultural best practices to local schools, following a model used by other land-grant universities. The resolution does not allocate funding but instead formally asks state agencies to collaborate on revitalizing these educational programs that have seen declining enrollment since 2000.
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. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Tags
Agriculture
Requires the Agribusiness Development Corporation to develop a succession planning education program to educate and assist farmers and ranchers in the process of transitioning agricultural businesses to new owners. Requires the program to connect individuals interested in entering farming or ranching, or existing farmers or ranchers interested in expanding their business, with farmers and ranchers who have not yet identified a successor owner. Appropriates funds.
Tags
Agriculture
Establishes a Local Agriculture Transportation Cost Reimbursement Program within the Department of Agriculture 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. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Tags
Agriculture
Establishes the Farming Grant Program to be administered by the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to provide grants to small and midsized farmers. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Tags
Agriculture
Requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a Healthy Soils Program. Requires an annual report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Tags
Agriculture
Requires the Agribusiness Development Corporation to establish an Agricultural Conservation Easement Program to purchase from willing private land owners agricultural conservation easements to preserve and protect the land for agricultural use in perpetuity. Establishes the Agricultural Conservation Easement Management Special Fund. Appropriates funds.
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.
Tags
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. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Tags
Agriculture
