HI SR59

Urges the Office of Planning to convene the Food Sustainability Standard Task Force to develop a food sustainability standard for Hawaii.

Specifies task force membership should include representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism, Department of Land and Natural Resources, University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, and various private organizations including Ulupono Initiative, Kanu Hawaii, and Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.

Requires the task force to consider existing programs, research, and achievements while consulting with private, nonprofit, community, and government stakeholders in developing the standard.

Directs the Office of Planning to submit the developed food sustainability standard and proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the 2014 Regular Session convenes.

Addresses Hawaii's reliance on imported food (approximately 92 percent) and notes that increasing local food production to replace 10 percent of imports could create approximately 2,300 jobs and improve food resiliency.