Bill > HR23

This resolution requests the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) to conduct a study on Hawaii's food manufacturing capabilities and the most promising markets for its products, with a particular focus on high-value, premium goods suitable for export. The study will identify competitive advantages, define what constitutes a "high-value product" using clear economic metrics, and pinpoint specific markets that align with these products. It will also analyze the cost of production in Hawaii, considering factors like energy, labor, and imported ingredients, to determine the profit margins needed for local food manufacturing to be economically viable. Furthermore, the study will examine logistical and transportation challenges to entering these markets and propose state-level solutions. The findings will be used to update curricula at the Maui Food Innovation Center and Wahiawa Value-Added Product Development Center to train entrepreneurs for export-oriented markets, and to integrate into existing workforce development and business incubation programs through collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC). The ADC will use the study's results to guide the development of its scaling facilities, and both the ADC and the University of Hawaii will work to instill market discipline early in the Food and Product Innovation Network process. Finally, DBEDT is tasked with proposing policy recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027 on how to realign and prioritize state resources to support businesses manufacturing these identified high-value products.