After receiving much-needed support during the past legislative session, and with elections promising a change in state leadership, there is measured optimism among some that local agriculture could be on the verge of a new era.

Some of the top candidates for governor and lieutenant governor have emphasized agriculture as a priority, especially after COVID-19 exposed the vulnerabilities of Hawaii’s tourism-based economy and supply chains.

Randy Cabral, president of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, wants to be hopeful of a resurgence in agriculture but has concerns.

“I’m cautiously optimistic that we do have candidates that want to promote agriculture and see agriculture play a bigger role in the state,” Cabral said. “But in the past we’ve just talked about this — talk, talk, talk and really nothing gets done.”

Both former Honolulu Council Chair Ikaika Anderson and state Rep. Sylvia Luke, who are running in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, have touted agriculture in their campaigns. During a July 12 televised debate on KITV, Anderson said he views agriculture as a core government service equal to fire, police and health care services.

During the same debate, Luke, House Finance Committee chair, said, “If we’re talking about food security and food reliance, it is the future, and it is something I’m really excited about.”

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Vicky Cayetano, in an interview with Hawaii News Now and Civil Beat, named agriculture, along with health care and television and film production, as possible industries that could help reduce the state’s economic reliance on tourism.

And Honolulu Council member Heidi Tsuneyoshi, running as a Republican for governor, has listed agriculture as one of her priorities, saying it will “create new job opportunities and increase food security.”

Earlier this year, state lawmakers passed measures supporting several food- and agriculture- related efforts, including bills that secured funding for farmer apprenticeship programs and food hubs. Other measures authorized the state Department of Agriculture to improve infrastructure on its land and established a reimbursement program for farming operations purchasing cover crop seeds, manure or compost.

“Agriculture did get its day, I guess you could say, as far as receiving funding,” said Micah Munekata, director of government affairs for Ulupono Initiative, which promotes and supports locally produced food and other sustainability initiatives. “There were various issues that were addressed across the board, issues that maybe didn’t have a chance in previous years.”

Still, access to land, labor and capital — such as low-interest loans or grants — continue to represent challenges for local growers.

The annual operating budget for the Agriculture Department, which is usually around 0.3% of the state’s overall budget, is cited as an indicator of agriculture’s low priority in Hawaii. The agency’s operating budget for fiscal year 2023 is $52.9 million, while the Agribusiness Development Corp.’s is $6.8 million.

“The state budget, crafted by state legislative leadership and the governor, reflects our current unwillingness to invest in small-scale sustainable agriculture designed to help us feed our families,” Rep. Amy Perruso, vice chair of the House Agriculture Committee, said in an email to the Honolulu Star- Advertiser.

Perruso wants the next administration to reorient the DOA to support farming rather than have it function primarily as a regulatory agency.

Perruso and Sen. Mike Gabbard, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, also urged the next governor to create a clearer vision for Hawaii agriculture.

“I think it’s crucial that we have a long-term plan and vision, and, of course, long- and short-term action items to ensure we have food security,” Gabbard said.

Albie Miles, assistant professor of sustainable community food systems at the University of Hawaii at West Oahu, suggested updating Hawaii’s 1991 Functional Agricultural Plan.

Miles also hopes the next governor supports affordable housing in areas where agricultural land and food processing infrastructure can be clustered, and recommended conducting comprehensive surveys to assess farmers’ needs as a follow-up to Miles’ pilot study in 2018, and filling DOA leadership with people who have a vision for food and agricultural sustainability in Hawaii.

With all 76 state Senate and House seats up for election this year, there is also hope for new enthusiasm for bills supporting agriculture in the 2023 legislative session. With the start of the next session five months away, agriculture-related proposals already are being discussed, including reviving several that died during the past session.

Ulupono Initiative said funding needs to be provided to the Royal Kunia Agricultural Park on Oahu, which offers prime agricultural land strategically located for food distribution. According to the advocacy group, agricultural projects are ready for construction, but lawmakers have denied DOA’s funding requests for the park for five consecutive sessions.

Sen. Lorraine Inouye, chair of the Senate Water and Land Committee, said she wants to reintroduce measures such as House Bill 1658 to expedite the transfer of some 100,000 acres of pasture and agricultural land to the DOA that are currently managed by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Lawmakers also are poised to reintroduce HB 1705, which would allow the DOA to extend expiring agricultural leases at small farms. Gov. David Ige, who is barred by term limits from seeking a third term, vetoed the bill.