WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

SCR 130

URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND BIOSECURITY TO JOINTLY DEVELOP A FARMER-TO-INSTITUTION COORDINATION PLAN THAT IS ALIGNED WITH THE AINA KITCHEN NETWORK ROLLOUT.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Stanley Chang and 3 co-sponsors

Hawaii DOE and ADAB must jointly create a Farmer-to-Institution Coordination Plan to align local farm supply with the AINA Kitchen Network rollout, including contracts, capacity, a

Resolution adopted in final form.
#departmentofagricultureandbiosecurity #departmentofeducation #farmer-to-institutioncoordinationplan
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SCR 130

Summary: SCR 130 (2026) – Hawaii

A concurrent resolution urging joint action by Hawaii’s Department of Education (DOE) and Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (ADAB) to develop a Farmer-to-Institution Coordination Plan aligned with the AINA Kitchen Network rollout.

1. Purpose and Intent

  • To compel DOE and ADAB, in consultation with other relevant entities, to jointly develop a coordinated plan that connects Hawaii’s farmer supply with the phased rollout of the AINA Kitchen Network (AKN), the state’s major local food infrastructure project for school meals.
  • To ensure a deliberate, systemic approach that scales local agricultural production for institutional use (schools), enhances farm capacity, secures multi-year farmer contracts, and improves procurement and data tracking.

2. Key Provisions and Changes

The resolution requires the following elements to be included in the Farmer-to-Institution Coordination Plan:

  1. Phased crop and product needs

    • Identify specific crops, proteins, and value-added products required at each phase of AKN construction and roll-out.

  2. Capacity assessment and gap analysis

    • Assess current local production capacity for those items.
    • Quantify the gap between current supply and projected institutional demand.

  3. Farmer capacity-building strategy

    • Outline land, infrastructure, workforce development, and technical assistance needed to close supply gaps.

  4. Procurement contract structure

    • Propose multi-year contracts that provide farmers with certainty to invest in scaling production.

  5. Timeline and milestones

    • Include a timeline with measurable milestones aligned to AKN rollout phases.

  6. Centralized digital procurement system

    • Propose implementation of a centralized, digital system to replace handwritten records.
    • System requirements include:
      • Identifying which products are locally sourced.
      • Tracking school- and complex-level spending.
      • Generating data for independent verification of DOE’s annual progress toward local-sourcing goals.

Additional directional actions:

  • Immediate use of federal funds: DOE should take steps to fully utilize all available federal funding for local produce procurement, including the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
  • Reporting to the Legislature: No later than 20 days before the 2027 Regular Session convenes, DOE and ADAB must jointly submit the Farmer-to-Institution Coordination Plan, including findings, recommendations, proposed legislation, and the amounts of federal local food funding received, expended, and unexpended for the 2026-2027 school year.

3. Who Is Affected

  • Primary: Department of Education and Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity.
  • Stakeholders: Interagency Food Systems Working Group (Act 239, 2025), Agribusiness Development Corporation, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii farmers (especially those serving or seeking to serve institutional markets), and school meal programs statewide.
  • Indirectly affected: Students and schools benefiting from more consistent local fresh produce, and farmers seeking multi-year procurement commitments and capacity-building support.

4. Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Interagency Collaboration: The plan is to be developed in consultation with:
    • Interagency Food Systems Working Group (Act 239, 2025)
    • Agribusiness Development Corporation
    • Hawaii Farm Bureau
  • Reporting Deadline: The plan must be submitted to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the 2027 Regular Session.
  • Contextual Timing: The resolution follows concerns about:
    • Long-standing gaps in local procurement (DOE’s local sourcing target of 30% by 2030; FY 2023-2024 achieved 5.43%).
    • Audit findings of unreconciled records and underutilized federal funds (Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program).
    • The ongoing development and anticipated 2027 start of the AINA Kitchen Network, including its first facility in Whitmore Village (region on O‘ahu) and broader statewide rollout.
  • Status: The bill has passed multiple committees (EDN, AEN, EDU) and is moving through the legislature with amendments and referrals noted in the action history.

5. Additional Context

  • The measure acknowledges existing procurement reforms (e.g., increased small-purchase thresholds per Act 134, 2025) but emphasizes that reforms alone will not bridge the supply-demand gap without coordinated planning and capacity-building for local farmers.
  • The resolution is non-binding advisory in nature, directing state agencies to develop and submit a plan rather than enact new law, though accompanying legislative action may follow based on plan findings.

This summary captures the bill’s purpose, required plan components, affected entities, and key procedural timelines. If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison with prior procurement reforms or outline potential fiscal or legislative implications arising from the plan.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.