Action Alert: Support Local Food Security!
Support Local Food Security!
Multiple good food systems bills will be heard this Monday and Wednesday in various committees. Please take a moment to support these bills to address hunger, support local farmers, protect our public trust waters, agricultural lands and support fishpond restoration!
If you have personal connection or story related to any of these bills, include that in your written testimony if possible. Testimony is due Sunday and Tuesday!
Food Equity: Farm to Families
A bill to help food banks source local food is being heard by the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment on Monday, Feb. 3rd at 1:02 PM in Conference Room 224 & Videoconference. Testimony is due 24 hours in advance, however late testimony is still accepted.
Support SB1250: Farm To Families
What Does This Bill Do?
Establishes the Hawaiʻi Farm to Families Program to alleviate food shortages in the State.
Why Is This Important? Sample Testimony:
Please support SB1250. Increasing the ability of food banks to purchase locally grown food is a win-win for our communities and farmers. One major challenge local farmers face is access to markets. This will help grow our local food and agriculture economy while providing our communities with nutritious food during times of crisis.
Preparing Hawaiʻi’s families in the wake of disaster, food banks rely almost exclusively on private donations and grants, even though local governments rely heavily on them during times of crisis. The Farm to Families program would provide funding for purchasing from local farmers, improving emergency food access for families and opening up a local market for farmers during times of economic crisis.
Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK)
A bill to inventory and assess the condition of fishponds on state lands is being heard in a joint hearing of the House Committees Higher Education & Education on Wednesday, Feb. 5th at 2:00 PM in Conference Room 309 & via Videoconference. Testimony is due 24 hours in advance, however late testimony is still accepted.
Support HB309 HD1: Fishpond Inventory
What Does This Bill Do?
Establishes a fishpond inventory working group within the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program to create an inventory and map of all fishponds on state land and conduct a literature review. Appropriates funds.
Why Is This Important? Sample Testimony:
Loko iʻa (fishpond) systems play an important cultural and ecological role as part of larger ahupuaʻa restoration. In addition to serving as important sites of food production, reactivated loko iʻa provide opportunities for building community connection through collaborative stewardship efforts. Practitioners are also observing a connection between loko iʻa restoration and the health of nearshore fisheries.
By creating an inventory of all state-owned lokoiʻa, this measure provides an important first step towards identifying next steps to revitalize more loko iʻa across Hawaiʻi. Please support HB309 HD1.
Hawaiʻi has a long history of flagrant water code violations by major water diverters. A bill to address ongoing violations of the water code has been scheduled for a hearing in the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. in Conference Room 325 and via Videoconference. Testimony is due 24 hours in advance, but late testimony is still accepted.
Support HB306 HD1 - Increases Water Code Penalties
What Does This Bill Do?
Adds a minimum penalty of $50 and a maximum penalty of $60,000 per violation of the State Water Code and makes each day that a violation exists or continues to exist a separate offense. Requires the Commission on Water Resource Management to determine the amount of the penalty based on the circumstances of the violation. The HD1 amendments importantly require the Water Commission to consider: The nature, circumstances, extent, gravity, and history of the violation and of any prior violations; and the economic benefit to the violator, or anticipated by the violator, resulting from the violation along with other considerations that will help to ensure fines are focused on addressing the major violators engaged in extractive water grabs.
Why Is This Important? Sample Testimony:
Enforcement of Hawaiʻi’s Water Code is essential to the health of traditional and customary practices by ensuring streamflows are sufficient for kalo cultivation, health of riparian species, and for overall conservation efforts to ensure abundant clean water resources for future generations. Please support HB 306 HD1.
Support for Farmers & Local Producers: Protection of Ag Lands
A bill to protect our local agricultural lands by prohibiting foreign ownership will be heard in a joint hearing of the Senate Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and on Agriculture and the Environment on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 1:00pm in Conference Room 224 and via Videoconference. Testimony is due 24 hours in advance, however late testimony is still accepted.
Support SB242: Prohibits Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land
What Does This Bill Do?
Prohibits foreign entities from owning, leasing, or holding a controlling interest in more than an unspecified number of acres of agricultural land. Limits the lease term for agricultural land by foreign entities. Requires foreign entities that own or lease interest in agricultural lands to file an annual report with the Department of Agriculture. Appropriates funds.
Why Is This Important? Sample Testimony:
Please support SB242. There is increasing concern about the ownership of large amounts of Hawaii’s agricultural lands by foreign corporations. This creates an increasingly uneven playing field for local producers who are struggling to gain access to affordable lands. For Hawaii to move towards increased food security, the state should prioritize access for local producers, and Native Hawaiian practitioners with lineal ties to place. This bill is an important step in prioritizing agricultural lands for local food producers. Twenty five states already have restrictions on foreign ownership of agricultural lands. Please support SB242.
Join us this session in supporting a broad array of bills designed to support local farmers, food producers, increase local food production, address inequities in our food system such as food insecurity, and support regenerative and indigenous farming/food production practices.
Learn more information below about HAPA’s 2024 FSFS policy agenda and take action in support of these Fair & Sustainable Food System policy priorities!
New to Legislative Engagement? Learn more about how to engage in the Legislative Session!
Make sure you have set up your account on the Hawaii State Legislature website. If you are new to the process, see this helpful page on legislative engagement 101 from the Public Access Room including a link on how to submit testimony!
Mahalo for taking action!
