Click here to access the report. Published by the National Farm to School Network, July 2023.

For many years, Farm to School champions in Hawai‘i have advocated for legislation that can transform the food system through culturally responsive, values-based institutional purchasing. This report provides an overview of the state’s farm to school policy and shares how this legislation and advocacy strategies have been guided by traditional Hawaiian culture and values. Learn about culturally relevant and Indigenous foodways as well as concepts such as aloha, ʻāina, and kuleana in the context of policymaking. This report concludes with takeaways from advocates for how farm to school policy can uplift culture and place across the nation.

2025

Raising HIDOE's Small Purchase Procurement Threshold from $25K to $250K

Act 134 (2025), signed into law by Governor Josh Green on May 30, 2025, exempts Department of Education purchases of local edible produce and packaged food products less than $250,000 from the electronic procurement system requirement. Requires at least three written quotes for Department of Education purchases of local edible produce and packaged food products of less than $250,000. Sunsets 6/30/2028. (CD1)

See also: New law streamlines local food procurement for Hawai‘i schools

2022

HIDOE School Garden Coordinator

Act 258 (2022), signed into law by Governor David Ige on July 7, 2022, provides one year of funding for a School Garden Coordinator to serve in the Hawai‘i Department of Education (HIDOE) Office of Curriculum and Instructional Design (OCID) to "provide technical support and startup resources for schools interested in developing a school garden program," as part of HIDOE's Hawai‘i Farm to School Program (see Act 175, 2021, below). 

Hawai‘i Farm to State Goals, Amended

Act 144 (2022), signed into law by Governor David Ige on June 27, 2022 amends Act 175 (2021) (farm to state goals, see below) so that the statute only applies to certain governmental entities, including the Departments of Education, Health, Public Safety, Defense, and the University of Hawai‘i (HIDOE, HDOH, DPS, DOD, UH).

2021

HIDOE Hawai‘i Farm to School Program

Act 175 (2021), signed into law by Governor David Ige on July 2, 2021: Transitions the Hawai‘i Farm to School Program and coordinator position from the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) to the Hawai‘i Department of Education (HIDOE), and sets the goal of 30% locally-grown school food by 2030. The purposes of the Hawai‘i Farm to School Program within HIDOE are to:

1. Improve student health;

2. Develop an educated agricultural workforce;

3. Enrich the local food system through the support and increase of local food procurement for the State's public schools;

4. Accelerate garden and farm-based education for the State's public school students; and

5. Expand the relationships between public schools and agricultural communities. 

Codified in law as HRS 302A-405.5 & 302A-405.6.

Hawai‘i Farm to State Goals

Act 176 (2021): Sets incremental local food procurement goals for all state departments in Hawai‘i, reaching 50% locally-grown by 2050. [Amended in 2022, see above.]

Codified in law as HRS 27-8.

Sourcing from Food Hubs for Farm to School

Senate Concurrent Resolution 38 (2021): Urges HIDOE to procure goods and/or services from food hubs for its farm to school program.

Expanding ‘Āina-Based Values

Senate Resolution 219 (2021): Sets forth the Hawai‘i State Senate’s support for the efforts of community organizations working together to expand ‘āina-based values across all sectors of society, and urges the Governor and county mayors to proactively support development of new initiatives that strengthen ‘āina-based assets toward a more thriving Hawai‘i.

2017

Farm to School Month in Hawai‘i

Act 10 (2017): Establishes October as Farm to School Month in Hawai‘i in perpetuity.

Codified in law as HRS 8-29.

2015

HDOA Hawai‘i Farm to School Program

Act 218 (2015): Establishes the Hawai‘i Farm to School Program and coordinator position in the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA). Passage of this act led to involvement by the Lieutenant Governor and a commitment by the Hawai‘i Department of Education (HIDOE) to transition school food from imported and processed to scratch-cooked and locally-sourced via the ʻAina Pono initiative. [Note: See Act 175 (2021), which transferred the Hawai‘i Farm to School Program and coordinator position from HDOA to HIDOE.]

P-20 Agriculture Education

Senate Resolution 80 (2015): Urges the University of Hawai‘i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (UH CTAHR) to develop a coordinated framework of support for preschool through post-secondary (P-20) agriculture education in Hawai‘i. The Hawai‘i Farm to School Hui partnered closely with UH CTAHR over three years to convene stakeholders, gather data, and develop recommendations via the Report to the 2019 Legislature.

BOE Policy 105-7: Hawaiian Education

Hawaiian language, culture, and history as an integral part of Hawaii’s education standards for all students

BOE Policy E-3: Nā Hopena A‘o (HĀ)

Strengthen HĀ within all HIDOE employees and students

BOE Policy 103-1: Health and Wellness

Support implementation of the HIDOE Wellness Guidelines

BOE Policy 103-6: School Food Services

Increase locally-grown foods within HIDOE school food programs

2024

2023