The department has been going back and forth on new rules since at least February.

Proponents identified the post-fire period as a perfect opportunity to reset local food production.

A House working group has come up with a suite of recommendations, including better support for the state's food banks.

With the official opening of a new facility, Maui hopes to charge ahead with plans for greater food security.

Farm owners and feeding operations are preparing to be in it for the long haul.

The proposal surprised local elected officials and conservation groups that had already been working on native seed issues.

Government needs to speed up its approval process and invest in research infrastructure to defeat a list of environmentally and economically threatening pests, experts say.

The corporation said the move signaled a new era of transparency for the agency.

State support has been lean, but the industry has attracted global recognition for its innovations.

In addition to the state's interim rules, drones are being used to drop pesticides.

The money will be distributed across Hawaii to bolster community-level food security.

Grass from East Indian sugarcane to African Guinea grass have been introduced to Hawaii for centuries, predating the state's increased risk of wildfire.

The beetle was found dead in a bag of compost at a Maui big box store during routine survey work.

Fire officials and landowners have known for years about gaps in Hawaii's firebreaks and fuelbreaks. The problem boils down to money and cooperation.

The state's ag industry mobilized to provide aid and the state bought feed, but ranchers need rain to grow grass soon.

That same fateful day, a couple of farmers, a troop of cowboys and fire crews were all that stood between a Waimea wildfire and potential catastrophe.

.The new director has a vision for community-focused innovative farming.

The department said it is taking an 'all-hands-on-deck approach' to the issue.

Food accounts for roughly 19% of all the trash thrown out in the county, which lacks a municipal composting facility.

For the state, the purchase was a "huge victory" for the environment. For Brendan Balthazar, it was a devastating loss of agricultural land.

The farm says it is hoping to reduce the state's dependence on imported fertilizer.

The plant is the focus of new studies about its potential therapeutic benefits.

Demand for beef is exceeding supply, but local producers are not seeing the returns.

How much the program will cost and how it will roll out remains uncertain.

The hunt for a new executive director is continuing.

Nonprofits have stepped in to help with grant writing but the state agriculture department has been slow to take advantage of available pots of money.

Amid forecasts of less available water, officials want to ensure food producers have enough for their crops and livestock.

The state's ethics commission stepped in and forced the restart of the hiring process.

The invasive insect has decimated the Pacific's coconut palm populations. Now it's been found on Kauai.

Demographic shifts mean that all of Maui County is excluded from a federal program meant to benefit kids in rural communities.

Hawaii's congressional delegation wants to know why the money it fights for is not being used by the Department of Education.

Pacific neighbors are fighting back against the coconut rhinoceros beetle, and there are lessons for Hawaii.

The importance of nutritional assistance like SNAP was apparent during a recent statewide tour.

Local food producers and advocates are vexed by the department's U-turn.

The bill was substantially altered during conference committee drawing scrutiny.

Hawaii will play host to a center that aims to empower food producers and businesses in US states and territories.

Updated: The bill was recommitted to conference committee Thursday, effectively killing it.

The hemp industry is poised for a legislative win after several years of negotiation.

The settlement this week follows 12 others over misleading labelling of Kona coffee.

State officials and stakeholders have suddenly found themselves asking who will carry on the work of the late James Nakatani.

The family-owned vegetable grower has found better prices on water and land leases.

The ag project needs lots of water but the dam that could supply it will be torn down unless the farm can raise millions of dollars to save it.

Current rules and regulations have become too onerous for local meat producers.

Larger food waste management plans will be announced soon, the mayor said.

Proceeds from compost sales to the public are kept by the partner schools.

Farmers and ranchers see an opportunity for ongoing collaboration.

The carpenter's union says that more modular housing is not a "silver bullet."

Lower shipping costs have freed up funds for more food supplies, Hawaii Foodbank said.

Coconut rhinoceros beetles have decimated yields across the Pacific, but there may be a surprising workaround.

Nearly half of Hawaii recipients of food support are employed but the end of additional federal assistance is going to sting.

Several major land leases are set to be moved from DLNR to DOA in a matter of months, resolving a lingering issue.

Hawaii's demand for pork is on the rise but slaughterhouses cater to beef.

Future capital gains would be locked into local income levels as part of the plan.

The DOE plans for a centralized kitchen concept but local advocates say it's better to increase cooking capacity at individual schools.

The state is investing in small-scale gardening, herding and livestock operations. It's a start.

Producers have turned to supplying direct to hotels catering to tourists, shifting the emphasis away from local preferences.

Fresh research reinforces that the majority of tourists to Hawaii will pay a premium to experience local fare. That could make food produced here more affordable for residents.

State agencies and local hotels and restaurants are on the hunt for more Hawaii-grown produce, but only a small number of our farms conform to USDA guidelines.

Local layers are now racing to expand operations as the islands remain bird-flu free.

Information on restricted pesticide use in Hawaii was kept private until a 2018 law required transparency. Environmental advocates want more restrictions. 

State lawmakers are asked to find a little more funding now to save a lot more money later in order to protect the islands' fragile ecosystems and ag lands.

Small community meetings across the islands will help develop the first state plan to guide local food resiliency and production.