Bill Text: HI HB858 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating To Agricultural Statistics.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-3)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-07 - Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR on Wednesday, 02-12-25 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. [HB858 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2025-HB858-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	858
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to agricultural statistics.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the department of agriculture's existing agricultural statistics program plays a crucial role in providing producers and policymakers with essential data to guide short-term decision making and long-term strategic planning.  In fact, the department of agricultural has a statutory duty and also a contractual obligation with the United Stated Department of Agriculture to ensure robust data collection and reporting across the State.  However, the department has experienced several shortcomings in the agricultural statistics program, including limited access to accurate and timely agricultural data and outdated collection, analysis, and dissemination of agricultural statistics, which results in limited insights to data that is critical to the movement of agricultural goods into and within the State.

     The legislature further finds that in 2024, the department of agriculture launched a statewide process to address key economic challenges facing the agricultural sector and developed short‑term actions and a long-term strategy aimed at addressing the shortcomings of its statistics program and other goals, such as boosting local product availability and expanding market capacity.  The objectives of the long-term strategy are to:

     (1)  Collect, analyze, and report data and trends on the intra- and inter-island production, distribution, and sale of select agricultural products;

     (2)  Provide producers with the information needed to make informed decisions about planting, scaling operations, and exploring new growth or market opportunities;

     (3)  Provide other decisionmakers with key analyses of production and production opportunities, trends, and growth to better allocate public resources to support agriculture and the public; and

     (4)  Support the strategic growth and development of Hawaii's agricultural sector by enhancing the statistics program's data collection, analysis, and reporting capabilities.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to revitalize and enhance the department of agriculture's agricultural statistics program by statutorily establishing an agricultural statistics program and appropriating funds for the program.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 148, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Part    .  Agricultural statistics

     §148-     Agricultural statistics program.  The department of agriculture shall:

     (1)  Collect data, provide analysis, and report on the intra- and inter-island transportation of fresh fruit and vegetable products;

     (2)  Develop and maintain electronic systems for capturing and analyzing data on the intra- and inter-island transportation of fresh fruit and vegetable products; and

     (3)  Establish a structured rotation schedule for expanded, consistent, sector-specific surveys to collect comprehensive data on key agricultural activities, including:

          (A)  Agricultural theft;

          (B)  Agricultural tourism;

          (C)  Aquaculture;

          (D)  Crop and livestock losses;

          (E)  Farm technology;

          (F)  Horticulture and nursery;

          (G)  Livestock numbers and productivity;

          (H)  Producer expansion;

          (I)  Seed;

          (J)  Tropical fruits;

          (K)  Vegetables and melons; and

          (L)  Other surveys as may be determined necessary.

     §148-     Exemption.  (a)  Data and information collected by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this part shall not be subject to disclosure under chapter 92F.

     (b)  All data collected, compiled, and stored in the agricultural statistics program shall be confidential and protected from discovery, production, and disclosure.  Unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution of data shall be strictly prohibited.  The State shall not be liable for any dissemination of information collected, compiled, or stored for use in the agricultural statistics program.

     §148-     Collaboration; partnerships.  The department of agriculture may:

     (1)  Collaborate with national and local entities, including the following, to enhance data collection, analyses, and reporting efforts:

          (A)  United States Department of Agriculture;

          (B)  United States National Agricultural Statistics Service;

          (C)  United States Agricultural Marketing Service;

          (D)  United States Bureau of Labor Statistics;

          (E)  University of Hawaii college of tropical agriculture and human resources;

          (F)  University of Hawaii economic research organization; and

          (G)  Other state agencies as needed; and

     (2)  Establish partnerships with local producers, transportation companies, aggregators, and distributors to facilitate the electronic capture of and access to other data sets."

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $880,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the following:

     (1)  $170,000 for the establishment of two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) agricultural economist positions;

     (2)  $280,000 for the establishment of four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) research statistician positions;

     (3)  $130,000 for the establishment of secured office space, equipment, the development of electronic data collection systems, and program expenses for six islands; and

     (4)  $300,000 for contracted specialty surveys to be conducted by third-party entities, focusing on critical agricultural data needs.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

 

 

Report Title:

Department of Agriculture; Agricultural Statistics Program; Appropriation

 

Description:

Establishes the agricultural statistics program in statute.  Appropriates funds for the program.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.