STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1386

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 139

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 139 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO DESIGNATE KUNIA, LEILEHUA PLATEAU, AND POAMOHO AS THE CENTRAL OAHU AGRICULTURAL CORRIDOR AND TO ESTABLISH A LIST PRIORITIZING POTENTIAL AGRICULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT WOULD PROVIDE THE MOST VALUE TO THE STATE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Request the Department of Agriculture to designate Kunia, Leilehua Plateau, and Poamoho as the Central Oahu Agricultural Corridor;

(2) Request the Department of Transportation to plan, design, and implement certain traffic signage;

(3) Request the Department of Agriculture to establish a list prioritizing potential agricultural infrastructure improvement projects that would provide the most value to the State; and

(4) Request the Department of Agriculture to submit a report to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2026.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee recognizes that the State has an established goal to double local food production by 2030, and therefore should consider the needs of farmers in the development of new infrastructure to meet this goal. This measure seeks to prioritize agriculture in long-term state and county planning, especially in Kunia, Leilehua Plateau, and Poamoho.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 139 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair