HI HR99

Urges all four Hawaii counties to adopt local zoning ordinances requiring owners of agricultural-zoned lands to execute and record declarations acknowledging state and county agricultural land use regulations, requirements, and penalties for noncompliance.

Notes that approximately 886,211 acres are actively used for crops and grazing statewide, less than half of the nearly 2,000,000 acres designated for agricultural use, with planted crop acreage declining 21 percent between 2015 and 2020.

References Maui County's existing practice of requiring agricultural land owners to submit compliance declarations when obtaining building permits as a model for other counties to adopt.

Encourages counties to promote active agricultural use by providing owners of agricultural lands with information on farm apprenticeship and mentoring programs, farm bureaus, and other local agricultural resources.

Requires certified copies of the resolution be transmitted to county mayors, planning directors, the Board of Agriculture, and agricultural organizations including the Hawaii Farm Bureau and Hawaii Farmers Union.