Committee advances appropriation measure to offset Waihole water system debt

The House Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems recommended HB 912 for passage with amendments on Jan. 31, 2025 after testimony from the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC), farmers, tenant-operators and agricultural organizations.

Wendy Gaddy of ADC said the corporation stands in strong support of the measure, and farmer witnesses described the Waiāhole (Waihole) Ditch water system as critical to agricultural operations at Kunia and Mililani agricultural parks and other production sites. Testimony from a tenant-owner and a cluster of farmers noted that farmers already paid the state purchase principal for the ditch (recounted in testimony as $8.5 million) and additional interest; witnesses said further interest over an extended repayment schedule would add materially to farmers’ costs and that appropriations to offset debt service would help farm viability.

The Hawaii Agriculture Research Center said the Waiāhole Ditch is the only agricultural water source available to its Kunia experiment station and that loss of the water would jeopardize its research and farmer training programs. ADC and farm representatives described higher water and operating costs as a financial burden on tenant farmers and called the appropriation proposal an investment in local food production.

At decision making the committee adopted technical amendments for clarity, left appropriation figures blank to be specified in the standing committee report, and defected the effective date to July 1, 3000. The committee said it would continue the conversation and include needed appropriation details in its report.