Hawaii’s Farms Are Small And Hard To Sustain. Can Tax Incentives Help? 0 State lawmakers are looking at new subsidies to improve food sustainability and security in the islands while continuing the momentum from last session.
A suite of bills to boost agriculture is set to be introduced this coming legislative session with the goal of bringing Hawaii closer to other states when it comes to helping farmers.
Transportation, organic operations, kalo farming and workforce retention are priority issues in the bills, which will be put forward alongside a list of others focused on increasing food security in the islands.
The incentives are aimed at addressing the high cost of doing business in Hawaii, the logistical issues of marketing produce and competing with products coming from the mainland.
Lawmakers also plan to focus next session, which begins Wednesday, on farming and ranching challenges related to water, land, marketing, and pest and disease issues. The deadline to introduce bills is Jan. 25.
