Big Island farmers are praising a bill that Gov. Josh Green recently signed into law extending lease renewals for up to 30 years in certain agriculture parks on the neighbor islands.
The benefits will extend to the nearly 100 farm lessees throughout Pana‘ewa and Pahoa whose leases for state land are set to expire between 2030 and 2037, including David Shiigi’s Bromeliads Hawaii nursery.
“My concern was, if we had to somehow bid again, and we lost, where would we relocate all the thousands of plants we have?” Shiigi said. “It would have been a nightmare.”
Shiigi, like many local farmers, was hoping to pass down his nursery to another member of the family. And now, thanks to the new law, he’ll be able to achieve it.
“My daughter is now taking over my legacy and creating new plants and new hybrids,” he said. “She’s very happy about what’s going on, and now, we can look at doing more improvements on the property.”
The law will allow lessees with 15 years or less remaining on their state land leases to apply for an extension of up to 30 years if the land is 25 acres or less and not on Oahu.
“We’re hoping they add the 30 years to the 15 years we have left, but we’ve gotta wait and see what’s next and find out what the details are,” Shiigi said, adding he hopes the application process will go smoothly.
“A lot of these farmers are already in their second generation of farming these plots,” said Hilo Rep. Chris Todd, who introduced the bill. “This is their opportunity to continue to farm and be productive and help us move towards our state strategic agriculture goals of being a little more sustainable, while also providing a little more diversification for our economy.”
The uncertainty of the leases caused many farmers to put off restoration work and avoid investing in their lands.
“If you need to put a well in, if you need to put up a new shade cloth structure or a new greenhouse, why would it make sense for you to finance those improvements if you don’t have time left on your lease?” Todd said. “For a lot of these folks, they’ve been waiting for the potential of an extension so they can reinvest or plant more.”
One of those farmers waiting for an answer was Ken Delimont, owner and manager of Puna Makai Nursery.
“I had about two acres left to plant and had to replace a bunch of trees, but there was no reason to do it without an extension of the lease,” Delimont said of his avocado farm. “But if they do extend my lease, then there’s a value to this.”
Delimont is a Hilo High graduate who first acquired his lease back in 1982. He’s hoping to pass down his legacy to his family as well so the next generation will have the chance to continue farming on Hawaii Island.
“We’re at that age where we really need our kids to continue it instead of ourselves,” Delimont said. “I have two grandchildren and both of them love to farm, and this gives us the opportunity for the next generation to keep doing it.”
Todd plans on introducing another ag-related bill next session to improve existing lots and encourage more farmers to take up leases.
“A lot of these lots, as part of these ag park programs, are currently sitting vacant, so I think the next step is going to be for the Legislature, for the Department of Agriculture, to do what we have to do to make these plots more attractive for potential farmers,” Todd said. “If that means clearing these lots and making an investment that way, if it means fencing so that you don’t run into feral pig problems, whatever the need is, I think we need to do a better job of addressing it so that these lots are not just sitting there, growing invasives.”
With additional support from Green, including the signing of nearly a dozen other ag-related bills into law this session, farmers are hopeful support will continue during when the Legislature reconvenese next January.
“Hopefully, with the new regime, there will be more support for agriculture, which is very important for the state,” Shiigi said. “This can open up more positive things for the ag community.”
Email Grant Phillips at gphillips@hawaiitribune-herald.com.