March 23, 2026, 1:40 p.m.
Hawaii State Capitol
Conference Room 225 and Videoconference
To: Senate Committee on Health and Human Services
Sen. Joy A. San Buenaventura, Chair
Sen. Angus L.K. McKelvey, Vice Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns
RE: TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF HB2619 HD2 — RELATING TO HOMEMADE FOOD PRODUCTS
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair and other Committee Members,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii supports HB2619 HD2, which would require the Department of Health to adopt rules for farm kitchens producing homemade food products that are no more strict than the rules governing home kitchens.
The bill defines a farm kitchen as “a kitchen located on agricultural land, including land zoned for agricultural use or land actively used for agricultural production, in which homemade food products are prepared using ingredients that may include agricultural products grown or raised on the same farm.”
Act 195 (2024) expanded the kinds of homemade foods that Hawaii residents could sell and allowed homemade foods to be sold at retail, through the mail and over the internet, as long as they are properly labeled.
This legislation would build on that law and be especially beneficial for rural entrepreneurs who do not have easy access to commercial kitchens.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Ted Kefalas
Director of Strategic Campaigns
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
1050 Bishop St. #508 | Honolulu, HI 96813 | 808-864-1776 | info@grassrootinstitute.org
