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Committee advances ADC land purchase bill for Ka‘ū parcel; AG asked for owner name in text
Summary
The committee advanced HB 685 to authorize the Agribusiness Development Corporation to buy roughly 146 acres in Ka‘ū for agricultural development, with the attorney general requesting the bill name the property owner to satisfy statutory acquisition rules.
The House Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems voted Thursday to advance HB 685, a bill authorizing the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) to acquire a parcel in Ka‘ū for agricultural development, while instructing sponsors to add the property owner’s name to the bill language.
ADC testimony described Ka‘ū as a microclimate missing from the agency’s land portfolio and said the parcel would allow long-term leases that encourage farmers to invest in soil and equipment. ADC Executive Wendy Gady said state-held agricultural parcels enable longer-term licenses for farmers who otherwise face short leases.
Deputy Attorney General Alyssa Kao told the committee that ADC acquisitions must comply with HRS 136D-31(b), which requires the bill to identify the name and owner of the property. “In order to validly authorize the acquisition of the property, we would ask that the name and the owner of the property be identified,” Kao said.
Brian Miyamoto of the Hawaii Farm Bureau said the parcel is roughly 146 acres and that the asking price is about $2.9 million. He and other witnesses framed the acquisition as a way to preserve agricultural land and create opportunities for small and medium farmers to access long-term leases.
Former ADC board member Scott Enright, testifying as an individual, said ADC has historically focused on Oahu and Kauai and welcomed the opportunity to add a neighbor-island property to ADC’s holdings.
The committee approved the bill with technical amendments and instructed ADC to supply the owner’s name so the statute’s acquisition requirements are met. Members also asked about local road and easement issues and requested follow-up on whether any county road easement affects the parcel.
The vote advances the bill for further consideration; lawmakers will return to the committee report to note the attorney general’s statutory requirement and ADC’s response.
