RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

SB1111

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1111

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to agricultural statistics
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

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SECTION
1.
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The legislature finds that the
department of agriculture's existing agricultural statistics program plays a
crucial role in providing producers and policymakers with essential data to
guide short-term decision making and long-term strategic planning.
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In fact, the department of agricultural has a
statutory duty and also a contractual obligation with the United Stated
Department of Agriculture to ensure robust data collection and reporting across
the State.
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However, the department has
experienced several shortcomings in the agricultural statistics program, including
limited access to accurate and timely agricultural data and outdated
collection, analysis, and dissemination of agricultural statistics, which
results in limited insights to data that is critical to the movement of
agricultural goods into and within the State.

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The
legislature further finds that in 2024, the department of agriculture launched
a statewide process to address key economic challenges facing the agricultural
sector and developed short‑term actions and a long-term strategy aimed at
addressing the shortcomings of its statistics program and other goals, such as
boosting local product availability and expanding market capacity.
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The objectives of the long-term strategy are
to:

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(1)
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Collect, analyze, and report data and trends on
the intra- and inter-island production, distribution, and sale of select
agricultural products;

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(2)
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Provide producers with the information needed
to make informed decisions about planting, scaling operations, and exploring
new growth or market opportunities;

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(3)
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Provide other decisionmakers with key analyses
of production and production opportunities, trends, and growth to better
allocate public resources to support agriculture and the public; and

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(4)
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Support the strategic growth and development
of Hawaii's agricultural sector by enhancing the statistics program's data
collection, analysis, and reporting capabilities.

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Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to
revitalize and enhance
the department of agriculture's agricultural
statistics program by
statutorily establishing an agricultural statistics program and appropriating
funds for the program.

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SECTION
2.
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Chapter 148, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

"
Part .
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Agricultural statistics

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�148-
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Agricultural statistics program.
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The department of agriculture shall:

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(1)
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Collect data, provide analysis, and report on
the intra- and inter-island transportation of fresh fruit and vegetable
products;

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(2)
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Develop and maintain electronic systems for
capturing and analyzing data on the intra- and inter-island transportation of
fresh fruit and vegetable products; and

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(3)
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Establish a structured rotation schedule for
expanded, consistent, sector-specific surveys to collect comprehensive data on
key agricultural activities, including:

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(A)
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Agricultural theft;

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(B)
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Agricultural tourism;

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(C)
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Aquaculture;

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(D)
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Crop and livestock losses;

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(E)
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Farm technology;

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(F)
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Horticulture and nursery;

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(G)
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Livestock numbers and productivity;

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(H)
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Producer expansion;

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(I)
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Seed;

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(J)
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Tropical fruits;

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(K)
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Vegetables and melons; and

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(L)
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Other surveys as may be determined necessary.

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148-
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Exemption.
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(a)
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Data and information collected by the department of agriculture for the
purposes of this part shall not be subject to disclosure under chapter 92F.

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(b)
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All data collected, compiled, and stored in
the agricultural statistics program shall be confidential and protected from
discovery, production, and disclosure.
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Unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution of data shall be
strictly prohibited.
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The State shall not
be liable for any dissemination of information collected, compiled, or stored
for use in the agricultural statistics program.

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148-
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Collaboration; partnerships.
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The department of agriculture may:

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(1)
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Collaborate with national and local entities,
including the following, to enhance data collection, analyses, and reporting
efforts:

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(A)
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United States Department of Agriculture;

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(B)
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United States National Agricultural Statistics
Service;

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(C)
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United States Agricultural Marketing Service;

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(D)
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United States Bureau of Labor Statistics;

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(E)
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University of Hawaii college of tropical agriculture
and human resources;

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(F)
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University of Hawaii economic research organization;
and

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(G)
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Other state agencies as needed; and

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(2)
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Establish partnerships with local producers,
transportation companies, aggregators, and distributors to facilitate the
electronic capture of and access to other data sets."

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SECTION
3.
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There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $880,000 or so much thereof
as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the following:

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(1)
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$170,000 for the establishment of two
full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) agricultural economist positions;

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(2)
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$280,000 for the establishment of four
full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) research statistician positions;

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(3)
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$130,000 for the establishment of secured
office space, equipment, the development of electronic data collection systems,
and program expenses for six islands; and

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(4)
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$300,000 for contracted specialty surveys to
be conducted by third-party entities, focusing on critical agricultural data
needs.

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The sums

appropriated shall be expended by the
department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.

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SECTION 4.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Department of Agriculture; Agricultural Statistics
Program; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes
the agricultural statistics program in statute.
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Appropriates funds for the program.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.