Hawaii Legislature Approves More Than $100 Million for Farm Infrastructure Despite Budget Pressures
Why It Matters
Hawaii’s agricultural sector entered the 2026 legislative session facing a difficult environment — federal funding uncertainty, pressure on tax benefits, and severe storm damage. The final outcome delivered well over $100 million in farm and food system funding, a result that surprised many in the industry and could significantly shape the state’s food security and rural infrastructure for years to come.
What Happened
The Hawaii Legislature closed its 2026 session having approved a substantial package of agricultural spending and policy measures. The bills now await the signature of Gov. Josh Green, whose approval would release funds across several major infrastructure projects, water system repairs, and food assistance programs.
The session had begun under a cloud of pessimism. Farm advocates cited federal funding reductions, tightening state budgets, and the damage caused by March’s Kona low storms as factors that made a productive legislative outcome seem unlikely. Despite those headwinds, agricultural stakeholders emerged with more than they anticipated.
“But honestly, we did better than we expected,” said Brian Miyamoto, director of the Hawaii Farm Bureau.
Sen. Tim Richards, vice chair of the Agriculture and Environment Committee, echoed that sentiment. “We were able to do better than I think a lot of people expected,” he said.
By the Numbers
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$100 million+ — Total agricultural investment approved by the Legislature for the 2026 session
~$130 million — Combined project budget for the Agribusiness Development Corp. (ADC) across the current two-year budget cycle
$12 million — Allocated for irrigation construction and upgrades in West Kauaʻi, where the ADC manages roughly 28,000 acres
$9 million+ — Set aside for emergency repairs to the Kokeʻe Ditch Irrigation System
$800,000 — Additional funding approved for the Farm to Families program, building on approximately $500,000 from the prior year
Key Projects and Programs
The largest share of funding flows to the Agribusiness Development Corp., which is tasked with rehabilitating agricultural water infrastructure across the state. Lawmakers also approved funding to address the Wahiawā Dam and its spillway on Oʻahu, which came under serious threat of failure during March’s record rainfall.
Other allocations include money to complete a long-delayed agricultural park on Oʻahu, establish a biosecurity research facility at the University of Hawaii, and reinforce irrigation networks on Kauaʻi. For farmers interested in entering the industry, resources in the western part of that island represent a growing opportunity — beginning farmers looking for a foothold may find promising options in West Kauaʻi.
On the food security side, the Farm to Families program received expanded funding. The initiative compensates local growers for produce distributed through food banks, helping offset concerns about potential reductions to federal nutrition assistance. Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa called the funding critical. “The need is definitely greater but this funding of nearly a million still helps and gets food from farmers to our local families,” she said.
Controversy Over ADC Powers
One of the session’s more contested measures grants the ADC authority to pursue eminent domain over private and government-owned lands that contain legacy irrigation infrastructure — provided the governor approves. Richards, who championed the legislation, framed it as a practical solution to the fragmented ownership of aging plantation-era water systems on the Big Island.
“If we are serious about agriculture, we need to get it all under one roof,” Richards said, characterizing the process as cooperative rather than coercive.
Environmental groups were less reassured. Earthjustice attorney Elena Bryant urged lawmakers to reconsider, citing the ADC’s history of Clean Water Act violations in Kauaʻi. “No agency with ADC’s track record should be entrusted with that kind of unchecked authority,” she told lawmakers. Supporters of the legislation noted that the ADC has since undergone leadership changes and improved its transparency practices.
What’s Next
All approved measures await Gov. Green’s signature in the coming months. The Hawaii Farm Bureau tracked roughly 600 pieces of legislation this session and formally testified on 170 bills, with five of its nine introduced measures clearing the conference committee process. Separately, 23 food and agriculture bills tracked by Hawaii Food+Policy were signed into law — one fewer than the previous session.
Implementation of the infrastructure projects is expected to unfold over the current and next budget cycles, with West Kauaʻi water systems and the Wahiawā Dam among the near-term priorities.