Department of Agriculture & Biosecurity

Oct. 30, 2025 NR25-30 HONOLULU – Hawai‘i agriculture operations are rapidly adopting farm technology according to a report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Statistics Service (USDA-NASS). The recently released “2025 Hawai‘i Farm Technology Use Report,” indicates significant increases in the use of tablets, video surveillance cameras, GPS livestock tracking devices, field sensors, ...
Read More Farm Technology Increasing According to National Statistical Report

Oct. 28, 2025 NR25-29 HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Plant Industry Division, is now accepting applications for the Compost Reimbursement Program for fiscal year 2026, The program may reimburse agricultural producers for the cost of purchasing compost, including transportation expenses. During the 2025 legislative session, the legislature and Governor Josh ...
Read More Compost Reimbursement Program Accepting Applications

Oct. 23, 2025 NR25-28 HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) Market Development Branch (MDB) has awarded a total of more than $465,700 to seven projects under the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) for fiscal year 2025. Under the program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) allocates funds to each state ...
Read More DAB Marketing Branch Awards 5,700 in Specialty Crop Grants

Oct. 21, 2025 NR25-27 HONOLULU — Two live opossums were captured today at two separate locations at Honolulu Harbor. Another opossum was also captured in Hilo last month. At 6:45 a.m. today, a shipping company reported seeing an opossum running round in the container yard at Pier 1 overnight. Agriculture inspectors from the Hawai‘i Department ...
Read More Two Opossums Caught Today at Honolulu Harbor, One Caught in September at Hilo Harbor

Oct. 17, 2025 NR25-26 HONOLULU — The Pesticides Branch of the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) is continuing its second annual statewide Pesticide Disposal Program (PDP) on Hawai‘i Island. Under the program, farms and other commercial users of pesticides may safely dispose of canceled, suspended, unwanted or unlabeled pesticides. The PDP is only for ...
Read More 2025 Statewide Pesticide Disposal Program for Commercial Businesses on Hawai‘i Island

Report on Pesticide Use Revolving Fund for FY2025 Report on Non-General Fund Appropriations for FY2025

Oct. 15, 2025 NR25-25 HONOLULU – The presumptive case of avian influenza in a duck earlier this week on O‘ahu prompts a reminder from the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) Animal Industry Division (AID) urging commercial poultry operations and backyard bird owners to increase biosecurity measures to protect their flocks from avian influenza, ...
Read More Increased Biosecurity Urged to Protect Birds from Avian Influenza

Joint New Release from the Hawaiʻi Department of Health, Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and the Department of Land and Natural Resources Oct. 14, 2025 HONOLULU – Three state agencies are on alert after laboratory testing identified a presumptive case of avian influenza on Friday in an ailing duck that was found earlier in ...
Read More DOH, DAB, DLNR Investigate Possible Avian Flu Case in Waterfowl