Department of Agriculture Hawaii: Market Research Report

Background

The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) is a state agency dedicated to supporting, enhancing, promoting, and protecting Hawai‘i's agriculture and aquaculture industries. With a workforce of approximately 267 employees statewide, the department focuses on creating and maximizing export opportunities, facilitating the growth of existing and new agricultural commodities, and preventing the introduction and establishment of harmful plants, animals, and diseases.

Key Strategic Focus

HDOA's strategic objectives include:

Market Development: Facilitating promotional opportunities for Hawai‘i's food and agricultural products through the expansion of new and existing markets, both locally and internationally.

Resource Management: Conserving and developing essential agricultural resources and infrastructure to ensure a healthy and adequate food supply for Hawai‘i's residents.

Biosecurity: Implementing programs to safeguard Hawai‘i's farmers, consumers, and natural resources by preventing the introduction and establishment of detrimental plants, animals, and diseases.

Financials and Funding

As a state agency, HDOA's funding primarily comes from the state budget, federal grants, and other public sources. Specific financial details, including total funds raised and recent funding rounds, are not publicly disclosed. The department utilizes these funds to support its various programs, including market development, resource management, and biosecurity initiatives.

Pipeline Development

HDOA's pipeline development focuses on:

Market Expansion: Identifying and developing new markets for Hawai‘i's agricultural products, both domestically and internationally.

Product Diversification: Supporting the growth of existing and new agricultural commodities and value-added products to enhance the state's agricultural portfolio.

Technological Platform and Innovation

HDOA leverages various technological platforms and innovations to support its mission:

Market Analysis and News Branch (MANB): Collects, analyzes, and publishes Hawai‘i's agricultural statistics in cooperation with the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). This includes data on farm production, acreage, farm prices, and related statistics for a wide array of commodities.

Farm Technology Adoption: Hawai‘i's agricultural operations are increasingly adopting farm technologies. The "2025 Hawai‘i Farm Technology Use Report" indicates significant increases in the use of tablets, video surveillance cameras, GPS livestock tracking devices, field sensors, drones, and unmanned aircraft systems by Hawai‘i agricultural operations.

Leadership Team

HDOA is led by a Chairperson, who is responsible for the department's day-to-day operations. The Chairperson is supported by various division heads overseeing areas such as Agricultural and Market Development, Agricultural Loan, Agricultural Resource Management, Animal Industry, Quality Assurance, and Plant Industry. Specific names and professional backgrounds of the leadership team are not publicly disclosed.

Market Insights and Dynamics

Hawai‘i's agricultural industry is characterized by:

Diverse Production: The state leads the U.S. in macadamia nut, papaya, taro, banana, coffee, and ginger root acreage.

Market Challenges: Limited access to marketing outlets is a significant barrier for farmers. A USDA-NASS survey indicated that 23% of participating farmers and ranchers in Hawai‘i identified insufficient access to marketing outlets as a challenge to production expansion.

Competitor Analysis

Key competitors in Hawai‘i's agricultural sector include:

Hawaiian Agriculture Research Center (HARC): A non-profit organization specializing in horticultural crop research, including agronomy, plant nutrition, plant physiology, breeding, genetic engineering, tissue culture, and integrated pest management.

Ulupono Initiative: A Hawai‘i-based organization focused on increasing locally produced food, renewable energy, and clean transportation, and improving water and waste management through impact investing, non-profit grant-making, and advocacy.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

HDOA collaborates with various organizations to strengthen its market position and innovation capacity:

University of Hawai‘i's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources: Collaborated with Tea Chest Hawaii on tea cultivation research projects.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): Works in cooperation with USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to collect, analyze, and publish Hawai‘i's agricultural statistics.

Operational Insights

HDOA's strategic considerations include:

Market Expansion: Identifying and developing new markets for Hawai‘i's agricultural products to enhance the state's agricultural portfolio.

Resource Management: Conserving and developing essential agricultural resources and infrastructure to ensure a healthy and adequate food supply for Hawai‘i's residents.

Biosecurity: Implementing programs to safeguard Hawai‘i's farmers, consumers, and natural resources by preventing the introduction and establishment of detrimental plants, animals, and diseases.

Strategic Opportunities and Future Directions

HDOA's strategic roadmap includes:

Farm Technology Adoption: Encouraging the adoption of advanced farm technologies to increase productivity and sustainability in Hawai‘i's agricultural operations.

Market Development: Facilitating promotional opportunities for Hawai‘i's food and agricultural products through the expansion of new and existing markets, both locally and internationally.

Resource Management: Conserving and developing essential agricultural resources and infrastructure to ensure a healthy and adequate food supply for Hawai‘i's residents.