SR 20: Requesting HAWAII'S congressional delegation to petition the united states department of agriculture to address the lack of parity between hawaii and other states AND TERRITORIES pertaining to the export of agricultural goods.

SENATE RESOLUTION

Requesting HAWAII'S congressional delegation to petition the united states department of agriculture to address the lack of parity between hawaii and other states AND TERRITORIES pertaining to the export of agricultural goods.

     WHEREAS, Hawaii is the only state in the nation that is regulated similarly to United States territories; and

     WHEREAS, under title 7 Code of Federal Regulations part 318, the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture may prohibit or restrict the movement in interstate commerce of any plant or plant product from Hawaii and the territories to the continental United States to prevent the introduction of plant pests on the continent; and

     WHEREAS, the Secretary of Agriculture has determined that it is necessary to prohibit the interstate movement of cut flowers, fruits, vegetables, and plants from Hawaii to the continental United States unless specifically allowed; and

     WHEREAS, the list of specifically allowed fruits and vegetables is very limited; and

     WHEREAS, for the State to add more agricultural commodities to the allowable list, it is required that a petition be submitted to the United States Department of Agriculture; and

     WHEREAS, the petition requires a pest risk analysis be conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture; and

     WHEREAS, a long-standing problem is that petitions from the State are processed with petitions from foreign countries seeking to export products into the United States and the petitions from foreign countries are often deemed a higher priority and therefore expedited; and

     WHEREAS, shipments of fruits and vegetables require quarantine treatment, inspection, and authorization by the United States Department of Agriculture; and

     WHEREAS, the United States Department of Agriculture's quarantine requirements for agricultural commodities grown in Hawaii has severely limited the State's exports; and

     WHEREAS, this constraint has seriously impacted Hawaii's agricultural sector as the State's growers must wait years, if not decades, for the United States Department of Agriculture's authorization; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that Hawaii's congressional delegation is requested to petition the United States Department of Agriculture to address the lack of parity between Hawaii and other states and territories pertaining to the export of agricultural goods; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the members of Hawaii's congressional delegation and Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture.

Report Title: 

Congressional Delegation; USDA; Interstate Commerce; Parity; Export; Agricultural Goods

SENATE RESOLUTION

Requesting HAWAII'S congressional delegation to petition the united states department of agriculture to address the lack of parity between hawaii and other states AND TERRITORIES pertaining to the export of agricultural goods.

     WHEREAS, Hawaii is the only state in the nation that is regulated similarly to United States territories; and

     WHEREAS, under title 7 Code of Federal Regulations part 318, the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture may prohibit or restrict the movement in interstate commerce of any plant or plant product from Hawaii and the territories to the continental United States to prevent the introduction of plant pests on the continent; and

     WHEREAS, the Secretary of Agriculture has determined that it is necessary to prohibit the interstate movement of cut flowers, fruits, vegetables, and plants from Hawaii to the continental United States unless specifically allowed; and

     WHEREAS, the list of specifically allows fruits and vegetables is very limited; and

     WHEREAS, for the State to add more agricultural commodities to the allowable list, it is required that a petition be submitted to the United States Department of Agriculture; and

     WHEREAS, the petition requires a pest risk analysis be conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture; and

     WHEREAS, a long-standing problem is that Hawaii waits in the same queue as foreign countries seeking to export products into the United States and the foreign countries' petitions are often deemed a higher priority and therefore expedited; and

     WHEREAS, shipments of fruits and vegetables require quarantine treatment, inspection, and authorization by the United States Department of Agriculture; and

     WHEREAS, the United States Department of Agriculture's quarantine requirements for agricultural commodities grown in Hawaii has severely limited the State's exports; and

     WHEREAS, this constraint has seriously impacted Hawaii's agricultural sector as the State's growers must wait years, if not decades, for the United States Department of Agriculture's authorization; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that Hawaii's congressional delegation is requested to petition the United States Department of Agriculture to address the lack of parity between Hawaii and other states and territories pertaining to the export of agricultural goods; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the members of Hawaii's congressional delegation and Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture.

Report Title: 

USDA; HDOA; Exports; Quarantine; Restrictions

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1576

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 20

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.R. No. 20 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING HAWAII'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO PETITION THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO ADDRESS THE LACK OF PARITY BETWEEN HAWAII AND OTHER STATES AND TERRITORIES PERTAINING TO THE EXPORT OF AGRICULTURAL GOODS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request Hawaii's congressional delegation to petition the United States Department of Agriculture to address the lack of parity between Hawaii and other states and territories pertaining to the export of agricultural goods.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture and one individual.

     Your Committees find that although it is necessary to prevent the introduction of plant pests, the quarantine requirements and restrictions on agricultural commodities grown in the State and transported to the continental United States have seriously impeded the growth of Hawaii's agricultural industry and, therefore, the economy of the State.  According to testimony received by your Committees, Hawaii's cut flowers, fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops are essential niche exports, but due to a backlog of petitions submitted to the United States Department of Agriculture that are not prioritized like those petitions from foreign countries, Hawaii's exports are delayed, creating significant disadvantages.  This measure aims to ensure parity with all other states in the nation regarding the export of agricultural goods. 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 20, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 20, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs,