Committee backs clean‑plant biosecurity program to support disease‑free stock

The committee passed SB 2098 to create a clean plant program in the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to support production, maintenance and distribution of disease‑free plant material to growers and nurseries. Supporters argued the program would reduce invasive‑species risk and help local producers scale up.

Sharon Hurd (DAB) said the program would use existing tissue‑culture facilities on multiple islands and partner with CTAHR for testing and grow‑out; the department plans to produce seed/stock at a discount in exchange for grow‑out data to build an information repository for farmers. "So once we get the seedlings out to the community, it just depends on the data collection," Hurd said. Producers including Brian Miyamoto and Nicole Galase noted the program could help decrease imports and support shovel‑ready projects.

Committee members pressed DAB on ramp‑up timelines, and Hurd offered a staged explanation of capacity and estimated time to scale nursery stock production. The committee voted to pass SB 2098 with amendments; technical details and implementation roles were left to department rulemaking and the committee report.