S.B. 335 Summary

• Requires the Hawaii department of agriculture and agribusiness development corporation to annually lease at least 50% of available land to agricultural operations whose primary business is local food production or supports local food production, effective January 1, 2022.

• Mandates the department of agriculture submit annual reports to the legislature no later than 20 days before each regular session containing information about leased lands, including number of lots by size and island, specialty farm products, vacant parcels, and lease transfers.

• Adds definitions of "local food production" (crops, livestock, and foods grown in Hawaii for consumption by residents and visitors) and "primary business" (at least 50% of production distributed for local consumption in Hawaii) to the agribusiness development corporation statutes.

• Modifies the agribusiness development corporation board composition to include two representatives from local farmers' or ranchers' associations nominated by legislative agriculture committee chairs, and requires board meetings to comply with state open meetings law.

• Requires the agribusiness development corporation to implement by January 1, 2023 all recommendations from the State Auditor's January 2021 report, with progress reports due to the legislature in 2022 and a final report by December 31, 2023.