The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the House Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems on Jan. 30, 2026.
_____________
Jan. 30, 2026, 9:30 a.m.
Hawaii State Capitol
Conference Room 325 and Videoconference
To: House Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems
Rep. Cory Chun, Chair
Rep. Matthias Kusch, Vice Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns
Re: HB1828 — RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LANDS
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair and other members of the Committee,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii opposes HB1828, which would require families living in farm dwellings to make either at least $30,000 a year in agricultural income or at least 20% of their total household income from agriculture activities.
The state’s goal of having more local food production cannot be met by top-down mandates such as the income rules proposed in this bill.
For families with small agricultural lots — such as the many one- or two-acre lots across the state — earning a certain amount of income from agricultural activities would be incredibly difficult. Some families might not have the time or expertise to sell their produce; others might simply want to grow food for only themselves.
Likewise, many retired farmers and ranchers might have once made income from their land but are now leasing it to others while still living on it — a scenario that this bill fails to recognize.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Ted Kefalas
Director of Strategic Campaigns
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
