Relating To Agricultural Statistics.
HB858 would create and fund a statutory agricultural statistics program within the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. The bill directs the department to collect, analyze, and report data on the intra- and inter-island transportation of fresh fruit and vegetable products, build and maintain electronic data systems for that work, and conduct recurring sector-specific surveys on a wide range of agricultural topics, including theft, aquaculture, crop and livestock losses, farm technology, horticulture, livestock productivity, seed, tropical fruits, and vegetables and melons.
The measure also authorizes the department to collaborate with federal, state, university, and private-sector partners to improve data collection and reporting, and it makes data gathered under the program confidential except in aggregate, non-identifying form. In addition, HB858 includes appropriations for agricultural economist and research statistician positions, office space and equipment, electronic systems, and contracted specialty surveys across six islands. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2050, as written in the measure text.
HB858 would amend Chapter 148, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by adding a new part establishing an agricultural statistics program and setting out the Department of Agriculture’s duties for data collection, analysis, reporting, confidentiality, and partnerships. It would also create a new state funding mechanism for staffing, infrastructure, and survey work tied to agricultural statistics, thereby expanding the department’s statutory role in agricultural market intelligence and planning.
The available voting history suggests generally favorable sentiment toward the bill, as the Senate Agriculture and Environment Committee passed it 4-0 with amendments. No committee transcript is provided, so there is no recorded floor or hearing debate to indicate broader support or opposition beyond that unanimous committee action.
The main policy issues apparent from the bill text are the scope of the new data-collection program, the confidentiality of collected information, and the cost of staffing and survey operations. Potential points of concern include the use of general revenues for new positions and contracted surveys, the breadth of data categories to be surveyed, and how the department will balance data access with privacy protections for producers and other entities. The bill’s unusually delayed effective date may also raise questions about implementation timing, though no specific objections are documented in the provided materials.