STAND. COM. REP. NO. 394

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 110

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred H.B. No. 110, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to modify certain benchmark goals and timelines for the Department of Education to purchase a certain amount of fresh local agricultural products and local value-added, processed, agricultural, or food products.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Hawai‘i Farmers Union; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawai‘i Public Health Institute; and Hawaii Cattlemen's Council. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that supporting local agriculture and strengthening Hawaii's food systems are critical to the State's economic resilience, sustainability, and public health. While existing laws set procurement benchmarks for various state agencies, inconsistencies in these targets create challenges for state agencies and local farmers trying to scale production. Specifically, the programmatic goal for the Department of Education to locally source at least thirty percent of food served in public schools by 2030 is higher than other state departments. Therefore, this measure resolves discrepancies between the Department of Education's locally sourced food benchmarks and those of other state agencies, ensuring a more consistent and effective implementation of Hawaii's food sustainability goals.

Your Committee notes the concerns that the shifting of the term "produce" to "food" in Act 144, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, may have inadvertently broadened the inclusion of products that do not substantially benefit the local agricultural landscape. Additionally, your Committee notes that updating reporting requirements for the Department of Education to track the status of progress toward local procurement goals more accurately is essential.

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 H.B. No. 110, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

KIRSTIN KAHALOA, Chair