Committee moves bill to ease permitting for diversified agriculture on former sugarcane lands

The House Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems voted to pass a house draft 1 of HB2425 on Feb. 4, 2026, a measure intended to allow diversified agriculture on lands formerly used for commercial sugarcane production within Conservation Use Districts to proceed without certain permitting and site‑plan approvals.

Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity staff (Cedric Dietz) stood on written comments and offered to answer questions. Brian Miyamoto of the Hawaii Farm Bureau supported the bill’s intent — allowing crops other than sugar on former sugar lands — but raised a statutory concern: the bill as drafted referenced chapter 165 (the right‑to‑farm law) instead of the conservation district statute. Miyamoto proposed amendments to move the cross‑reference to HRS 183C‑2 and submitted suggested language to align the bill with the conservation district statute.

Committee members adopted the suggested change in their amendment package to preserve the right‑to‑farm protections while locating the provision in the conservation district code. The chair read an amendment moving the statutory reference to chapter 183C and set a placeholder effective date to allow technical work; the committee then voted to pass the measure with amendments. Voting recorded during the decision session listed the chair and vice chair voting aye, Representatives Kahala, Lowen and Matsumoto voting aye, and Representative Peruso noting reservations.

Supporters stressed that the change would facilitate new agriculture on previously cultivated plantation lands, while proponents and the department said finer drafting was needed to ensure the bill’s language reflects conservation‑statute intent. The bill will proceed as an amended house draft for further consideration.