2025 HAPA FSFS Policy Agenda- UPDATE
2025 Fair & Sustainable Food Systems Policy Agenda
First Lateral Update: as of 2/14/25
About:
Our current food system is broken by design, supporting increasingly consolidated corporate profits at the expense of public and environmental health, climate and workers. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Transforming our local food system can address some of the most intractable problems facing our local communities. Because our food system is so broad, touching upon every facet of our lives, there is no one silver bullet solution. Policy advocacy is one tool in our toolbox for creating change. HAPA supports a broad food and agriculture policy agenda that seeks to uplift a variety of complimentary solutions along our food system. We seek to provide a comprehensive food systems policy agenda and timely, actionable legislative alerts for key bills moving through our legislative session.
Our FSFS Priority Areas:
Food Equity
HAPA support for food security programs to address rising hunger rates in Hawaii. The ending of certain federal and local benefits coupled with increasing cost of living has led to increased local food insecurity. Increasing funding for local food security along with other measures to boost procurement of locally grown food can support local food producers and food insecure residents as well.
Policy Leads: HIPHI, Appleseed, Hawaii Hunger Action Network, Hawaii Food Bank
Farm to Families - HB428 | SB1250
Establishes the Hawaiʻi Farm to Families Program to alleviate food shortages in the State. Requires reports to the Legislature prior to the Regular Sessions of 2026 and 2027. Appropriates funds.
]First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB428: Passed AGR; Awaiting a hearing in FIN
SB1250: Passed AEN; Awaiting a hearing in WAM
Universal Free School Meals - HB757 | SB43
Hunger should never be a barrier to learning, yet many food insecure students are missing meals and cannot thrive in the classroom. Universal free school meals will provide breakfast and lunch to all public school students and will help to improve health and learning outcomes.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB757: Passed EDN; Awaiting a hearing in FIN
SB43: No hearing in Senate/Deferred
Addressing the SNAP Eligibility Cliff - SB1055, HB696
Extends certification periods for most households, including 36 months for kūpuna. Provides funds to DHS to increase number of positions and pay
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB696: No hearing in House/Deferred
SB1055: No hearing in Senate/Deferred
Addressing the SNAP Eligibility Cliff - SB963 | HB687
Increase benefits or access for many different groups. They would exclude income from those individuals in SNAP households who are ineligible for benefits, establish a standard medical deduction, establish a pre-release program, remove the felony ban, and require a report to the legislature on progress.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
SB963: Passed in Senate HHS
HB687: No hearing in House/Deferred
Addressing the SNAP Eligibility Cliff - SB53, HB539
Expand SNAP benefits to households earning up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level
First Lateral Update (2/14):
SB53: HHS Deferred
HB539: No hearing in House/Deferred
Funding for SNAP - SB 960
Provides funds to DHS to increase SNAP staffing and pay levels
First Lateral Update (2/14):
SB960: Passed in Senate HHS; Awaiting a hearing in WAM
Improves SNAP Accessibility SB 961
Extends SNAP certification periods and participates in Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP)
First Lateral Update (2/14):
SB961: Passed in Senate HHS; Awaiting a hearing in WAM
Pesticide Protections
HAPA was founded in 2014 to respond to community concerns about pesticide drift from agrochemical test fields. Data from the first year of mandatory restricted use pesticide (RUP) usage reporting (2019) revealed concerning rates of application of certain highly toxic pesticides. To better assess health and environmental risks and provide proactive public health protections the following measures are needed.
Policy Lead: HAPA
Improved disclosure of restricted use pesticides (RUP’s) - SB351
Hawaiʻi needs more geographically specific reporting of pesticide use to accurately assess current risk, as well as quarterly rather than annual reporting of all use of restricted use pesticides. California requires reporting within a square mile of application. This level of specificity will allow for credible public health/epidemiological studies to be conducted.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
SB351: Passed AEN; Awaiting a hearing in CPN/WAM
Increased RUP buffer zones - SB352, HB873
Epidemiological studies have revealed that exposure to certain pesticides drifting from over ½ mile can harm human health, with children being amongst the most vulnerable. Certain pesticides are more prone to drift to others. Reporting data has revealed some of the highest rates of application of highly drift prone and carcinogenic pesticides adjacent to residential areas in Hawaiʻi. Increased buffer zones around schools and other sensitive areas provide common sense public health protections for keiki.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
SB352: Passed AEN; Hearing in JDC/WAM 2/19
HB873: No hearing in House/Deferred
Reclassify Neonics as RUP’s - SB12
Neonicotinoids (“neonics”) are reported to be the largest class of insecticides used globally and are linked to pollinator declines. Vital for a healthy food system, 1 in 3 bites of food is attributed to pollinators. Increasingly a body of research is also finding harmful human health impacts. Because they are not classified as “restricted use pesticides” (RUP) in Hawaiʻi, we have no data on the extent of their use locally or ability to study the potential impacts.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
SB12: Deferred in AEN
Pesticide Restrictions on State Land - SB671
Harmful pesticides like glyphosate, chlorpyrifos, dicamba, and malathion are dangerous carcinogens, that should be strictly curtailed on state property, including parks, recreational facilities, schools, roadways, correctional institutions, office buildings, and other places or facilities owned or controlled by the State. Restrictions on the use of these harmful pesticides in these areas provide common sense public health protections for keiki.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
SB671: No hearing in Senate/Deferred
Funding for Online RUP Reporting - HB1497
Requires and appropriates funds for the Department of Agriculture to develop an online reporting tool for restricted use pesticide reporting. Appropriates funds to convert temporary environmental health specialist III positions into permanent positions
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB1497: Passed AGR; Awaiting a hearing in FIN
Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge
Policy Lead(s): Kuaʻāina ʻUlu ʻAuamo (KUA)
Fishpond Inventory - HB309
Establishes a fishpond inventory working group within the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program to create an inventory and map of all state-owned fishponds and conduct a literature review.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB309: Passed WAL & HED; Awaiting a hearing in FIN
Makai Watch Coordinator - HB89
Appropriates funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the establishment of one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent Makai Watch Coordinator position.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB89: Passed HSG & EDN; Awaiting a hearing in FIN
ʻŌpaeʻula as State Shrimp - HB345
Establishes the ‘ōpae ‘ula as the state shrimp to protect anchialine pool ecosystems throughout Hawaiʻi.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB345: Passed CAA; Awaiting a hearing in JHA
Support for Food Producers & Regenerative Farming Practices
Policy Lead: Hawaii Farmers Union
Healthy Soils Program - HB968, SB552
Requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a Healthy Soils Program.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB968: Passed AGR; Awaiting a hearing in FIN
SB552: Passed AEN & WAM; Awaiting 3rd reading
Waste Diversion Plans - HB751
Establishes statewide goals for solid waste reduction and organic waste diversion.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB751: Passed EEP; Awaiting a hearing in FIN
Repeal GE crop General Excise Tax exemption - SB681
Repeals the exemption to the general excise tax for agricultural businesses engaged in the production of genetically engineered agricultural products.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
SB681: Passed AEN; Awaiting a hearing in WAM
Farmer Housing Working Group - SB498 | HB1294
Establishes an Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group within the Department of Agriculture to address the shortage and challenges of agricultural workforce housing in the State.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
SB498: Passed AEN; Awaiting a hearing in WAM
HB1294: Passed HSG & AGR; Awaiting a hearing in FIN
Ban Foreign Ownership - HB192 | SB242
Prohibits foreign entities from owning, leasing, or holding a controlling interest in more than an unspecified number of acres of agricultural land.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB192: No hearing in AGR; Deferred
SB242: Passed AEN; Awaiting a hearing in JDC/WAM
Corporate Ownership of Ag Land: SB245
Beginning 1/1/2026, prohibits certain entities from owning, purchasing, or acquiring ownership of agricultural lands.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
SB245: Deferred in AEN
Agricultural Land Conveyance Tax - HB929
Establishes a surcharge on the conveyance tax upon the net capital gain from the transfer or conveyance of agricultural land.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB929: Deferred in AGR
Agricultural Tourism - HB189
Requires the counties to adopt ordinances setting forth procedures and requirements for the review and permitting of agricultural tourism uses and activities as secondary uses, in addition to accessory uses, on a working farm or farming operation
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB189: Passed AGR/TOU; No hearing in WAL
Right to Farm Act - HB193, SB240
Policy Lead(s): Hawaiʻi Farmers Union (HFU)
Amends the definition of "farming operation" by including customary and traditional subsistence farming conducted by native Hawaiian cultural practitioners and excluding concentrated animal feeding operations and business entities with unclear or non-transparent ownership or beneficiary structures.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB193: No hearing in AGR
SB240: Deferred in AEN
Farm to School/State
Policy Lead(s): Hawaii Farm to School Hui (HIPHI)
Local Ag. Procurement - HB191
Our Department of Education needs to establish clear rules for the procurement of goods and services for our public schools. This also will incorporate geographic preference for unprocessed locally grown and locally raised food products.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB191: No hearing in EDN
Farm to School - HB328 | SB235
Authorizes the Department of Education to establish a recognition program to incentivize schools to submit to the Department a plan for the school to reach the local farm to school meal goal of thirty percent of food served in the school to consist of locally sourced products by 2030. Requires public high schools under the Department of Education to provide plantbased meals as an option under the school meals program.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB328: Passed EDN & AGR; Awaiting a hearing in FIN
SB235: No hearing in EDU/AEN
Decentralization of DOE Farm to School - HB190 | SB248
Provides that complex area superintendents have the authority to implement the farm to school and farm to school meals programs.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB190: No hearing in EDN
SB248: No hearing in EDU/LBT
