House Standing Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems

Good morning. Welcome to the Agricultural and Food Systems hearing today. Committee hearing Today we'll be reviewing some resolutions. First, some housekeeping items. And so today is March 21, 2025 and it's the 10:00am agenda. We're convening in room three to five. I'm Vice Chair Matthias Kusch of the Agricultural Committee.

We have Chair Kahaloa and Representative Perruso and soon Rep. Lowen and Quinlan will join us, I'm sure. Before we're going to get started, we're going to go over some brief housekeeping rules in order to allow as many people to testify as possible. There'll be a two minute time limit per testifier.

And because the morning hearings must adjourn prior to the noon floor session, not all testifiers may have the opportunity to testify. In that event, please, please know that your written testimony will be considered by the Committee. I don't think we'll run into that today, but just judging by the crowd, so we'll have some leeway.

Please keep you're on Zoom. Please keep yourself muted and your video off while waiting to testify and after your testimony is complete. The Zoom chat function will allow you to chat with the technical staff only. Please use the chat function for technical issues. If you are disconnected unexpectedly, you may attempt to rejoin the meeting.

If disconnected while presenting testimony, you may be allowed to continue if time permits. Please note the House is not responsible for any bad Internet connection on the testifier's end. In the event of a network failure, it may be necessary to reschedule a hearing or schedule a meeting for decision making.

In that case, an appropriate notice will be posted. Please avoid using any trademark or copyrighted images and please refrain from any profanity or uncivil behavior. Such behavior may be grounds for removal from the hearing without the ability to rejoin. Thank you. So our first measure today is HCR68 and HR6.1. We have one testifier in support on Zoom.

Good morning.

Good morning, chair and esteemed members. My name is Chelsea Hamilton, and I'm currently attending Hawaii Pacific University. I'm testifying to express my support for House Bill HC--HCR 68 and HR 61, which proposes the establishment of an animal education and training complex in Kalaeloa parklands.

This bill is essential to resolving significant problems relating to animal welfare, public safety, and community education regarding the manner. Given the increasing abuse of animals and the increase in dog bites, establishing this training facility is a natural step forward.

These incidences are primarily due to poor training and insufficient understanding of animal psychology, and it is only fair that we give these animals an opportunity for an improved--an improved future by giving their owners the appropriate training, input, and advice.

As an animal rescue volunteer, I have noticed how an animal's behavior typically reflects its owner care--its owner's care, training, and rules, and lack thereof. Owners must be given the knowledge and means to better care for their pets. This proposed complex would not only benefit the pets of Oahu, but would also provide the much-needed support to owners who require and seek some guidance.

There are a few advantages of the proposed complex which include but are not limited to: increased community outreach and education, more funding and increased awareness for shelters to help reduce overcrowding and take better care of those pets in their care, reduced numbers of animals turned into shelters, and a decrease in dog bites and attacks.

In conclusion, promoting this House Bill offers an opportunity to affect long-term societal change. This project is essential in improving the health of pets and their owners, thereby shaping a better and more responsible and more compassionate society. Thank you for your consideration.

Thank you so much for your testimony. So that's all the testimony we have for this bill. Is there anybody here who would like to testify in person? Anybody else on Zoom? Okay, we had one supporter, none in opposition, and no comments. Moving on to HCR--oh, yeah, member questions. Thank you. Do you have any questions, chair?

Thank you. Appreciate that. Okay, moving on. Our next resolution is HCR 77 and HR 69. We have one. Our first testifier is Hawaii Department of Agriculture. In person. Not present. ADC in person. I don't see Wendy. There you are, sir.

Thank you. Chair, Vice Chair, Committee Members.

Thank you, sir. Robbie Melton.

Chair, Vice Chair, Committee Members, Robbie Melton from Hart. We stand on our testimony and support.

Thank you. Is there anybody else who would like to testify on this measure, please?

Chair and Members of the Committee, I believe you have my testimony. I saw it. Stephanie Whand from Kuneh Village Title Holding Company.

Is there any. I don't have it on my list here, but.

Okay.

You had written testimony as well?

Yes, I had some testimony and I saw it there. Why don't.

So I, can you summarize your testimony and we will look and make sure? And if, if for some reason we don't have it, we'll be sure to get it from you.

Well, I can give a copy. Okay. When I leave. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

We'll be sure to check it out right now.

Okay. So I think you know who I am and please. So I was going to start off. I'm not really good at this. So I was going to refer to some of my notes. I thought you had my written testimony.

But what I wanted to add to that is that this is a resolution set up for a demonstration project for all the islands to learn from. Now why here Oahu? Well, all the key elements for successful agriculture are already here in this area. It just needs to be strengthened through recognition, through policy of this area.

That's an ag. And so the elements that are there is the land. You have landowners, large, medium and small who are farmers and few owners there who really want to just hold their land. And this would help prevent that. It wouldn't prevent it, but would help prevent that. And then water.

Water comes from the two wastewater treatment plants, one in Wahiawa, one in Schofield. So we have water stability for years. There's value added, there's warehousing there already that's dedicated to agriculture and available to take on more value added processing and activities as well as there's ag suppliers in this area.

There's labor, there's housing there with the option for more housing that's already legal available. There's transportation. And so the point I made in my written testimony was that there's a lot of accidents. And this is a corridor, which I didn't explain Here, from the H1 freeway all the way to Wainua.

Now, some of the testimony in there does not say that. It just said it's right there in Kunia. It's not. This is for that whole corridor which is a state road. And so that road also provides access to markets. So it covers five elements of agriculture.

Now what we've done in agriculture is we put we do something for land here, we do something for water, we do something for processing. We don't put it all together. Here's an opportunity for in an area to put it all together to make it easier for the farmers to get all those things in a cooperative way.

So it's worth trying because IAL is not working. And the counties tried it. Kauai failed to even get through it. Oahu did it and then the state killed it. So those things aren't doing what we want. We're trying to develop agriculture as an industry. And so it needs all the elements to do that. So.

So this is an opportunity not only to find it on Wahoo, but if we can demonstrate it on Wahoo, then we can look for it on the other islands and do the same thing, put it all together, connect the dots. We have not been connecting the dots. And that's why?

For 50 years, we're not going very far in agriculture. So that's why I think this is really important. It's just a resolution to tell an ADC, I agree with DOA. It should be an ADC. There have the commitment to production agriculture just to replace the plantation style. So anyway, I just.

I've been working in the industry for 50 years. I watched the sugar industry go down. I'm trying to watch agriculture grow. We personally, through HARC and then people giving us land and stuff, have got the warehousing, we've got the labor, you know, already put together, and it can happen.

So I just really urge you to pass this and to help pass it in finance. It's not costing any money right now. It's just to see if we can connect all the dots for agriculture culture.

Thank you.

I'm here for any questions.

Thank you so much. We. We do not have your testimony, so please make sure you leave that with us before you leave today. Thank you. We are right now on HCR 77 and HR 69. There was Department of Agriculture. Did you want to speak in support? In support. Okay. I'm just. You're on the list. Okay.

Is there any further testimony on this bill? Any on Zoom? Any questions, Members?

Yes, ADC, please. Just a quick question Mark.

Mark Takamura, ADC.

Thank you. Just a question regarding the resolution initially called for this to be effectuated via the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. And to see Stephanie's testimony, it said maybe we should move that to the Agribusiness Development Corporation.

So since it wasn't directly stated in your testimony, I just wanted to see if that was an appropriate thing for us to do if we were to amend this resolution.

Well, I think we would work with Department of Ag as well in any case. So. And since we are working on a lot of the, you know, transition from plantation pineapple, plantation sugar, we're also working on the, you know, the agricultural product innovation. So I think. Yeah, I think it could. It would be appropriate.

It would certainly work. But either way, we would work with Department of Ag and other stakeholders who would like to see Agriculture succeed in Hawaii. So it's fine. Yeah.

Thank you, Vice Chair.

Thank you, chair. Any other questions? Okay. Moving on. Next, we have HCR 103 and HR 99. First to testify is Hawaii Department of Agriculture with comments. Stand on your, stand on your testimony. And that's the only person we have listed for this. Is there anybody else who would like to testify on this resolution? On Zoom? Okay. Questions, chair? Member?

Okay, seeing none, we'll move on. Next up, we have HCR25 and HR24. And first to testify we have Kara Oba of DLNR.

So aloha, Chair, Vice Chair and Members of the Committee. I'm Kara Oba, DLNR.

I just wanted to share that if changes are considered for this declaration form, we would like to educate visitors and returning residents about the fact that we are the endangered species capital of the world, and maybe it's an opportunity to share some information about our indigenous, endangered and threatened species.

So those are our comments, if you have any questions. Thank you.

Thank you. Hawaii Department of Agriculture with comments.

Good morning, Chair. Vice Chair Perruso on behalf of the Department of Agriculture. Yeah, we have. We'll send in our written testimony and comments and just kind of emphasizing, I think, like kind of what DLNR said, right.

If we kind of go through this, it then just everything should go on the form and, you know, then the form will be like 100 pages long. So that's just kind of our thing in that should Akamai arrival be implemented, then that probably would be the better way of effectuating this. Thank you. I'm available for questions.

Thank you. Is there anybody else who would like to testify on this resolution Zoom. Okay. Chair Kahaloa, questions? Representative. Okay, seeing none. Thank you for your testimony. We're going to move on to HCR 200, HR 192, the Maui Access Deer Control and Benison Initiative. We have nobody listed on our testimony sheet.

Is there anybody here who would like to testify on this, the Maui Access Deer Control and Venison Initiative? Anybody on Zoom? Okay, questions.

We did have testimony from the Department of Agriculture with comments.

Oh- Oh I'm sorry.

Can still acknowledge that it wasn't zero testimony.

Oh, gotcha.

We're good.

Gotcha. My apologies. Correction. Hawaii Department of Agriculture did supply testimony, but in written form only. Thank you, Chair. Okay, next up, we have HCR 42 and HR 36, encouraging each county to establish its own biosecurity plan that prioritizes the needs of the county. We received two in support, zero opposition.

One comments on this from Rob Hauff, DLNR. Did I say your last name right? Hauff. Okay, overthought it. Thank you. And then Hawaii Department of Agriculture, comments in person. Thank you. And then Stephanie Easley, CGAPS, support, Zoom.

Good morning, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. I'm Stephanie Easley with the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, or CGAPS. I apologize for submitting our testimony late and appreciate any consideration you're able to give it. We also appreciate your consideration of this resolution. Counties have a huge role to play in invasive species prevention and response, and the Legislature encouraging each county to develop a biosecurity plan may help catalyze their development.

We are requesting one small, tiny amendment on page one, line 30, that suggests the plans include or somehow look at proposed legislative changes that could help the counties respond to biosecurity challenges. One area that comes to mind is green waste. Counties have a big role to play in green waste management, which is a known invasive species pathway.

Another area is noxious weed control. The way it works now is Hawaii Department of Agriculture is the only one who can list species as noxious weeds, and they can't be imported or sold in the state. Counties are preempted by law from doing that.

Unfortunately, the noxious weed list hasn't been updated since 1992, and there are no HDOA cost sharing noxious weed programs going on right now. A lot of states have county weed boards that look at this issue and do deal with it on a county by county basis. So that might be something the counties were interested in. So we're just hoping that you might consider including that in the plan. And thank you for considering this measure, and we hope it's successful. Mahalo.

Thank you. Is there any other... Oh, here we go. Chelsea. Sorry.

No problem. Aloha, Chairs, Representative Perruso. Apologies. I thought I submitted testimony on this measure, but I just looked online and it seems it's slipped through the cracks. But we are submitting testimony. Chelsea Arnott on behalf of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council submitting testimony in support of this resolution. And I'll get that to you ASAP. Mahalo.

Thank you. Is there anybody else who would like to testify on this measure or on Zoom? Questions, Chair? Okay, seeing none.

We're going to move on to HCR 130, 126, which is urging the state, counties, and other relevant agencies to provide increase and sustained funding to the Invasive Species Committees within the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Get to that. So first up on Zoom, we have Shaya Honarvar, University of Hawaii System.

Yes. Good morning, chair, vice chair, and members of committee. My name is Shaya Honarvar. I'm the Director of the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, and I'm here on behalf of the University of Hawaii System. University of Hawaii System supports the House Concurrent Resolution 130 and House Resolution 126, and I'm here if there are any questions. Thank You.

Thank you. Next up we have Chelsea Arnott from Hawaii Invasive Species Council.

Aloha, chair, vice chair, Representative Perruso. Chelsea Arnott, on behalf of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council. We stand on our written testimony in support and just want to highlight that House Bill 299 is an avenue to actually fulfill what's in this resolution by providing more funding to the Hawaii Invasive Species Council, which is probably the most stable, long-term form of funding that these projects receive, which are all based on soft funding. So mahalo for the opportunity to provide support.

Thank you. Next up we have Hawaii Department of Agriculture with comments in person.

We stand on our written testimony. Thank you.

Thank you. And then Robert Hoff for DLNR.

DLNR stands on its written testimony in support.

Thank you. And then Ernest Lau, Board of Water Supply Manager for Board of Water Supply, City and County. Oh.

Good morning, chair, vice chair, Representative Perruso. My name is Kathy Mitchell with the Board of Water Supply, and the Board of Water Supply supports House Concurrent Resolution 130, including House Resolution 126. The BWS actively supports the protection and management of forested watersheds through invasive species control and we do our part.

Annually we provide direct contributions to the Watershed Partnerships. In Fiscal Year 25, we provided, in direct contributions, 1.2 million plus, and for Fiscal Year 26, we'll be providing 1.5 million plus to the UH Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit. Thank you very much.

Thank you. And then we have Stephanie Easley on Zoom.

Thank you. Good morning, chair, vice chair, members of the committee. Stephanie Easley with the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species. Again, apologize for our late testimony and thank you for the opportunity to support these resolutions. The island-based Invasive Species Committees get so much done with so few dollars.

Everyone I've ever met who works for an ISC is truly passionate about their work and protecting islands from invasive species' impact. As we note in our testimony, in addition to control--actual control projects, they are great at outreach and education, and at the end of the day, that is the key to winning the battle against invasive species in Hawaii. The ISCs are grant-funded year to year and have lately even been unable to compete for some invasive species funding projects.

We also note one of the big biosecurity bills that's moving through the ledge, SB 1100, prohibits the ISCs from even being considered for funding or participating in the biosecurity emergency response teams, the Invasive Species Readiness and Response Program, and the HDOA-funded Pest Management Plans. So having sustainable funding year to year from other sources will allow them to continue their important work. Mahalo for your consideration and I'm here if you have any questions.

Thank you. That is all of the testimony I see on my list here. Is there anybody else who would like to testify in person or on Zoom? Okay, seeing none. Chair? No questions? No questions?

Okay, next up, we have HCR27, HR26, requesting that 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. First up, we have Hawaii Department of Agriculture in support, in person. Thank you.

Is there anybody else who would like to testify on this resolution on Zoom? Any questions? Chair, Member. Okay, that's all the business we have before us right now. We'll take a brief recess and then go to decision making.

Welcome back to the House Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems. I'm Vice Chair Matthias Kusch. Chair Kristen Kahaloa. We are here for decision making. After we just heard testimony just now. We'll be starting off with HCR68 and HCR61.

This is requesting the Mayor of City and County of Honolulu, Honolulu City Council and Department of Parks and Recreation in the City and County of Honolulu to create a dedicated animal education and training complex within Kailoa Parklands. Chair's recommendation is to pass as is. Is there any questions, Members? Okay, Chair for the vote.

Thank you, Vice Chair. Voting on HCR 68 and HR 61. Vice Chair's recommendation is to pass as is both Chair and Vice Chair. [Roll call]. Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you, Chair. Next up, we have HCR 77 and HR 69 requesting the Department of Agriculture to designate Plateau and Poa Moho as the Central Oahu Agricultural Corridor and to establish a list prioritizing potential agriculture infrastructure improvement projects that would provide the most value to the state. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments.

We're going to change the Department designation where it says Department of Agriculture to ADC, the Department Agricultural Development Corporation, per the testimony and then other non substantive technical amendments for clarity, consistency and style. Chair, Any questions, Members? Any questions? Concerns? Okay, Chair for the vote.

Thank you, Vice Chair. Voting on HCR 77 and HR 69. Vice Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments noting the excused absence of Representative Lohan and Representative Ward. Does anyone have voting with reservations or nos seeing none. Vice Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you, Chair. Making me feel good. Next up, we have HCR103 and HR99 urging the counties to adopt local zoning ordinances to require owners of agriculturally zoned lands to execute and record declarations that acknowledge state and county agricultural land use regulations and requirements and penalties for non compliance. Chair's recommendation is to pass this resolution as is.

Is there any questions? Chair or Members seeing none. Chair for the vote.

Thank you. Vice Chair voting on HCR 103. HR 99. Vice Chair's recommendation is to pass as is noting the excused absence of Representative Lohan and Representative Ward for the entirety of this decision making process. Any Members voting with reservations or voting no see none. Chair your. Your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Thank you, Chair. Next up we have HCR2.5 and HR24. This is requesting the Department of Agriculture to include a statement on desecration laws in the plant and animal declaration form. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments.

We're going to use some of the supporting testimony and modify this where so that when the Akamai arrival program is brought online and fully rolled out that it is expanded to include other language and programs that include the intent of this resolution and Dylan R's input regarding adding in, I'm sorry, endangered species so that it becomes an educational tool as well as the intent of the Akamai arrival program.

Is there any questions? Chair Members seeing none. Chair for the vote.

Thank you. Voting on HCR25. HR24. Vice Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Any Members voting with reservations or voting no. Seeing none. Your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Next up is HCR200, HR192. This is a Maui Access Deer control and venison initiative. Chair's recommendation is to pass as is. Chair, question? Members? Seeing none. Chair for the vote.

Voting on HR1 zero 201st voting on HCR 202. Vice Chair's recommendation is to pass as is any Members voting no or any Members with reservations. Vice Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Next up we have HCR 42 and HR 36. This is encouraging each county to establish its own biosecurity plan that prioritizes the needs of that county. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. We're going to be using CGAPs recommended amendments and then adding any non substantive language for clarity and consistency.

Chair, Members, any questions, concerns? Seeing none. Chair for the vote.

Thank you. Vice Chair voting on HCR 42 and HR 36. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Any Members voting with reservations. Any Members voting no? Seeing none. Vice Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you, Chair. Next up we have HCR130HR126 urging the state, counties and other relevant agencies to provide increase and sustained funding to the invasive species communities within the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. So Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments.

We're just going to add in on page two between line three and line two. We're going to make a little bit of changes and just add in Hawaii Ant lab along with the ISCs that are listed and other non substantive technical amendments for clarity, consistency and style. Chair, question? Members, questions, concerns? Chair for the vote.

Thank you. Voting on HCR130HR126. Vice Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Would any Members be voting with reservations? Any Members voting no. See none. Vice Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Okay, thank you. Last one. This is HCR27HR26 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. Chair's recommendation is to pass as is. Chair and Members, questions, concerns? Seeing none. Chair for the vote.

Voting on HCR27HR26. Chair's recommendation is to pass as is. Would any Members be voting with reservations or no. See none. Your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. Chair Seeing no other business on today's agenda, this hearing Committee hearing is concluded. Thank you.