Don’t Let the Meaningful ADC Reform Bill Die - Contact Senator Dela Cruz!
We urgently need your help in keeping the meaningful ADC reform bill, HB2418 HD2, alive. If this crucial bill isn’t heard and passed by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means (WAM) next week, it will die.
Please call and e-mail Senator Dela Cruz this week to respectfully request that he schedule HB2418 HD2 for a hearing.
Phone: (808) 586-6090
E-mail: sendelacruz@capitol.hawaii.gov
Why Is This Important?
In the ADC’s nearly 30-year existence, the agency has shown that they are incapable of properly caring for Hawaiʻi’s agricultural land and waters. From violating the Clean Water Act to failing to get local farmers onto their parcels –– it’s clear that the ADC cannot continue to exist as-is. HB2418 HD2 is crucial in ensuring that the agency undergoes reform, and that our public agricultural lands are utilized for the public good.
If HB2418 HD2 dies, the only bill that will address the longtime failures of the ADC will be SB2473 SD2 HD1. While it does contain some modest ADC reforms, they do not go far enough. The bill primarily shifts the agency from the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT).
We at HAPA strongly oppose this inferior bill (SB2473 SD2 HD1). We believe that moving the agency from one department to another will do nothing to fix its underlying issues.
Please feel free to use our sample scripts and talking points below, or speak from your own experience when contacting Senator Dela Cruz.
Call Script
Aloha, My name is <your name> and I am calling from <your town/island> to request that Senator Dela Cruz schedule HB2418 for a hearing. I am concerned about the longtime failures of the ADC and support the more specific reforms in HB2418.
I’m aware that Senator Dela Cruz has introduced SB2473, which also contains some modest ADC reforms. However, I feel that SB2473 does not go far enough to address the major failures of the ADC.
I am also concerned about the provision in SB2473 that transfers the ADC from the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT).
Thank you for your consideration.
Talking Points for E-mail
Aloha Senator Dela Cruz,
My name is <your name> and I am e-mailing you from <your town/island>. I’m reaching out to request that you schedule HB2418 HD2 for a hearing. I am concerned about the longtime failures of the ADC and support the specific reforms included in HB2418 HD2.
I’m aware that you introduced SB2473 SD2 HD1, which also contains some modest ADC reforms. However, I feel that SB2473 SD2 HD1 does not go far enough to address the major failures of the ADC.
I am also concerned about the provision in SB2473 SD2 HD1 that transfers the ADC from the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). The state audit of the ADC highlighted a lack of agricultural expertise as one of the failures of the agency. I am concerned that further alienating the agency from agricultural expertise will exacerbate the disconnect between the ADC and our local farmers seeking leases.
Please schedule HB2418 HD2 for a hearing. Thank you for your consideration.
Best,
<your name>
<your town>
Background Information
What Does HB2418 Do?
Provides comprehensive and meaningful reform of the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC).
Amends the purpose of the agency to shift from a focus on crops for export to farming and food production for local consumption.
Ensures a variety of agricultural expertise on the governing board of directors, including a focus on sustainable local food production.
Ensures that a comprehensive strategic plan is created for the agency. This would be informed by an analysis of farmer and food producer needs throughout Hawaiʻi. The plan would be reviewed annually to ensure the agency is meeting goals and benchmarks.
Provides greater oversight and direction for the executive director to ensure the agency is being managed to meet its goals for increasing local food production.
Prioritizes entering into lease agreements designed to increase the production of local agricultural products. Sets lease sizes appropriately to support small and mid-sized food producers.
Establishes requirements regarding the amount of leases set aside for the production of local agricultural products for local consumption.
Why Is This Bill Important?
In 2021, a shocking state audit revealed that the ADC has failed to fulfill its mission within its nearly 30-year existence
The Hawaiʻi State Auditor described the ADC as an agency that "has done little – if anything – to facilitate the development of agriculture enterprises to fill the economic void created by the demise of the sugar and pineapple industries."
Prior to the 2021 audit, the ADC has also faced additional scandals throughout the years. This includes being sued for blatantly mismanaging land and water resources, people dying on ADC-managed lands, denying local farmers leases without justification, violating the Clean Water Act, allowing tenants to operate without formal leases, and leasing the majority of their landholdings to agrochemical companies that test experimental pesticides and grow herbicide-resistant seed crops.
If Hawaiʻi is to meet its goals of doubling food production for local consumption, the agency must be reformed. Rather than focusing on using agribusiness for export, ADC-managed lands could be used to strengthen Hawaiʻi’s food security.
Several studies have shown that small farmers overwhelmingly identified a lack of access to affordable, right-sized farm leases as a major barrier to farming. If Hawaiʻi is to meet its goals of doubling food production for local consumption, the agency must be reformed. Rather than focusing on using agribusiness for export, ADC-managed lands could be used to strengthen Hawaiʻi’s food security. The ADC should be a part of the solution in prioritizing access for farmers that are committed to sustainably producing food for local consumption.
The state audit found that the ADC was lacking in deep agricultural expertise. The ADC should seek to increase the agricultural expertise on its board and staff through its strategic planning process.
Despite being required by statute, the ADC never developed an agribusiness plan for defining and establishing goals, objectives, policies, and priority guidelines. Having this plan in place would help the agency to fulfill its mission.
It is critical that our government agencies manage Hawaiʻi’s public lands for the public good.
Thank you for taking action!
