HI SR204

Requests the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission to convene a Cattle Ranching Task Force and serve as its chair to develop an economic development implementation plan for Hawaii's beef industry.

Task force membership includes representatives from the Board of Agriculture, Board of Land and Natural Resources, University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture, county mayors/councils, Hawaii Island Meat Cooperative, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Parker Ranch, Kamehameha Schools, and large private pastureland owners.

Task force must submit an implementation plan and any proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the Regular Session of 2022.

Task force is dissolved on June 30, 2022.

Background context notes Hawaii Island has 557,000 acres of active pasturelands (73% of state total), local ranchers supply only 5.8% of beef consumed in Hawaii, and slaughterhouse capacity is identified as a limiting factor for market expansion.