Committee advances SB1186 to create interagency food-systems coordination team; bill to include FTE spot in HD1

The House Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems voted to pass SB1186 SD2 with amendments to create an HD1 that will include appropriations language and space for an FTE to staff interagency coordination work.

SB1186 would establish a statewide interagency food-systems coordination team and create an interagency working group within the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC). The committee heard broad support from agriculture organizations, nonprofits and youth speakers who described food security and local production as urgent priorities. Dane Wicker, deputy director at the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT), told the committee the bill “fits well within DBEDT and Agribusiness Development Corporation in checking off a lot of these areas of responsibility” and asked the committee to include one temporary FTE to map commodities and capacity.

Testimony included examples of existing coordination efforts and historical precedents for interagency agricultural planning. Community and student witnesses described food insecurity and the need for coordinated action; Nicholas Nishimura, identified as the 2025–26 Hawaii FFA state president, closed his testimony invoking a proverb: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, and the second best time is today,” urging prompt action.

The committee adopted amendments to return the bill as an appropriation measure and to insert a placeholder for one FTE in HD1; committee and agency comment recommended that the ADC/DBEDT provide one position to support commodity mapping, land and facility planning and implementation. The chair’s recommendation was adopted with recorded ayes from the chair and vice chair; Representatives Kush and Ward were noted excused. Further appropriation details will be resolved in subsequent committees.