Senators amend HB2585 to create task force on agritourism standards and pass the measure out of committee

Joint committee chairs moved to amend HB2585 into a task force bill after hours of testimony from farmers, trade groups and county advocates who described widely varying local needs for agritourism.

Multiple farmers and ag stakeholders told the committees that agritourism—including farm stays, tours and farm-to-table events—has become critical for small operations to survive. An Olamahina Gardens farmer said farm stays and related activities are often ‘‘a startup toward acknowledging that farms have had to diversify’’ and called agritourism a lifeline for family farms.

Heather Corotti, a South Kona farm co-owner, said she supports HB2585 with amendments, noting agritourism is often the difference between keeping a farm and selling it. ‘‘Agritourism is what keeps farming possible,’’ Corotti said, urging the legislature to craft rules that preserve the income streams farmers now rely on.

At the same time, stakeholders cautioned against a one‑size‑fits‑all revenue threshold. Brian Miyamoto (Hawaii Farm Bureau) and Hunter Hevlin (Hawaii Farmers Union) told senators that production patterns and land sizes vary across islands and that counties may need authority to tailor standards; Farm Bureau witnesses said percentage-of-land tests can be a better fit than a strict revenue trigger.

Given the divergent views, the chairs recommended converting the bill into a task force to study thresholds, safeguards and definitions and report back to the legislature. Committees voted to pass HB2585 with those amendments and referred it to Ways and Means for the next stage of consideration.

The change keeps agritourism on the legislative agenda while directing stakeholders and lawmakers to reconcile county-by-county differences before enacting statewide standards.