HI HR26

Hawaii is regulated similarly to U.S. territories under Title 7 Code of Federal Regulations part 318, allowing the USDA Secretary to restrict movement of plants and agricultural products from Hawaii to the continental United States to prevent plant pest introduction.

The USDA maintains a very limited list of specifically allowed fruits, vegetables, cut flowers, and plants that can be exported from Hawaii; adding new commodities requires submission of a petition and pest risk analysis.

Hawaii's agricultural export petitions are deprioritized compared to foreign countries seeking to export to the United States, causing growers to wait years or decades for USDA authorization.

Quarantine requirements, inspections, and USDA authorization have severely constrained Hawaii's agricultural export capacity and negatively impacted the state's farming sector.

The Hawaii House of Representatives requests that Hawaii's congressional delegation petition the USDA to establish parity between Hawaii and other states and territories regarding agricultural export regulations.