HR99

WHEREAS, while nearly half of the State's 4,100,000 acres is designated for agricultural use, approximately eight percent of these lands is being used for actively growing crops and 18.5 percent of these lands is being used for grazing animals; and

WHEREAS, according to the Department of Agriculture's 2020 Update to the Hawaii Statewide Agricultural Land Use Baseline study, between 2015 and 2020, the overall statewide acreage of planted crops decreased by twenty-one percent, or 31,207 acres, in large part due to the closure of the Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company on Maui; and

WHEREAS, during this time, there was an overall seven percent increase in other crop types, or an additional 7,588 acres, including a notable twenty-two percent increase in diversified agriculture, which added 3,695 acres, demonstrating that farming is still a viable industry in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, the study also provided the following statewide statistics:

(1) For the island of Hawaii, there are 62,461 crop acres and 552,091 pasture acres;

(2) For the island of Kauai, there are 23,191 crop acres and 42,345 pasture acres;

(3) For the island of Maui, there are 7,718 crop acres and 115,241 pasture acres;

(4) For the island of Molokai, there are 3,880 crop acres and 37,867 pasture acres;

(5) For the island of Lanai, there are 105 crop acres and 0 pasture acres; and

(6) For the island of Oahu, there are 23,227 crop acres and 18,035 pasture acres; and

WHEREAS, while the statewide totals are 120,632 crop acres and 765,579 grazing acres, for a total of 886,211 acres, this total is less than one-half of the nearly 2,000,000 acres statewide designated for agriculture use; and

WHEREAS, while state and county agricultural land use regulations seek to require or at least encourage active agricultural use of agricultural-zoned lands, it is clear that a significant amount of these lands is not being used for agricultural production; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaii State Plan, pursuant to chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes, includes objectives and policies for the economy related to agriculture, including the objectives of "growth and development of diversified agriculture throughout the State" and "an agriculture industry that continues to constitute a dynamic and essential component of Hawaii's strategic, economic, and social well-being", along with eighteen companion policies; and

WHEREAS, each of the counties' general plans also calls for supporting local agriculture industries and promoting food sustainability; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture and Hawaii Farmers Union run farm apprentice mentoring programs, and the University of Hawaii's GoFarm Hawaii Program offers a Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship series of webinars and other training programs, among other opportunities to grow local farmers; and

WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the State and the counties to pursue policies and take actions that result in an increase in the number of acres that are in active farming and ranching use and that increase the production of local agricultural products, which will promote food security and sustainability while increasing the number of agricultural jobs, thus promoting economic diversity; and

WHEREAS, Maui County currently requires owners of agricultural-zoned lands to submit a declaration of compliance when obtaining a building permit, acknowledging state and county land use requirements and penalties for violations; and

WHEREAS, such declarations should be utilized by all four counties and should be recorded so that future owners are also aware of these requirements; and

WHEREAS, the counties should also make available to owners of agriculture lands information on local agricultural resources, including farm bureaus and farm apprenticeship and mentoring programs, so that owners can readily put their lands into production; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the counties are urged to adopt local zoning ordinances to require owners of agricultural-zoned lands to execute and record declarations that acknowledge state and county agricultural land use regulations and requirements and the penalties for noncompliance; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the counties are encouraged to promote the active use of agricultural lands by making information available on farm apprenticeship and mentoring programs to owners of agricultural lands; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, Director of the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Mayor of the County of Kauai, Mayor of the County of Maui, Planning Director of the County of Hawaii, Director of Planning and Permitting for the City and County of Honolulu, Planning Director of the County of Kauai, Planning Director of the County of Maui, President of the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Farmers Union.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	99
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII