HI SR20

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

The USDA has prohibited interstate movement of cut flowers, fruits, vegetables, and plants from Hawaii unless specifically allowed, with a very limited list of approved commodities.

Adding agricultural commodities to the allowable export list requires Hawaii to submit a petition to the USDA for a pest risk analysis, which takes years or decades to complete.

Petitions from Hawaii are processed alongside petitions from foreign countries, with foreign petitions often prioritized and expedited, creating a parity problem for Hawaii's agricultural sector.

The Senate requests Hawaii's congressional delegation to petition the USDA to address the lack of parity between Hawaii and other states and territories regarding agricultural exports, with certified copies to be sent to the delegation and Board of Agriculture Chairperson.