Bill > SR165

This Resolution urges the Department of Agriculture to increase the capacity of its plant quarantine facilities, which are managed by the Plant Quarantine Branch. These facilities are crucial for detecting and preventing the introduction of invasive species, such as the coffee leaf rust pathogen that was first found in Hawaii in 2020, which can cause significant long-term economic damage. The Resolution acknowledges that existing facilities are insufficient to handle the demand for disease-resistant plants and to effectively respond to new invasive threats, and it requests a report on expansion plans and recommendations for the Legislature.