Hawaii lawmakers are lining up behind Senate Bill 2110, a proposal that would turn a short‑term Carbon Smart pilot into a permanent Conservation Agriculture and Soil Health Incentive Program and officially make dirt a big deal at the Capitol. The plan aims to pay and train farmers to rebuild volcanic soils, boost water retention and chip away at the state’s dependence on imported food. Youth leaders, along with environmental and agricultural groups, have become some of the bill’s loudest supporters as it works its way through the Legislature.
What the bill would create
According to the Legislature's website, SB2110 would set up a Conservation Agriculture and Soil Health Incentive Program inside the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission and earmark $1.5 million in start‑up funding for fiscal year 2026–27. The commission would be responsible for issuing awards for both one‑time establishment and annual management practices, offering no‑cost pre‑application technical help, keeping a database to track acres and outcomes, and sending annual reports back to lawmakers.
Pilot program showed local wins
The bill is designed to scale up the Carbon Smart pilot created under Act 185 in 2022, which encouraged carbon‑positive, soil‑building practices across the islands, according to the Hawaii Climate Change portal. Honolulu Civil Beat reported that Carbon Smart partners backed projects ranging from agroforestry and compost markets to living windbreaks, and that a partner’s bioswale plantings on Moloka‘i helped slow topsoil loss during March Kona‑low storms. Supporters say demand for pilot funds quickly exceeded what the program could provide, a key talking point for those arguing it should be made permanent.
Why it matters for food security
Hawaii imports about 85% of the food its residents eat, a long‑standing structural vulnerability flagged in the state’s food‑security strategy (DBEDT). As highlighted in testimony reported by Civil Beat, youth advocates told lawmakers, “The practices this program funds build the kind of food system we want to inherit — one less dependent on imports and resilient enough to feed our communities long‑term.”
Where the bill stands
SB2110 has cleared multiple Senate committees and passed a full Senate vote before landing in House committees in March, with official roll calls and committee reports indicating that it is still moving toward a floor vote. LegiScan is tracking the hearings and recommendations that are shaping the bill’s path to a final decision.
How farmers would benefit
Under the bill’s definitions, qualifying annual management practices include cover cropping, crop rotation, organic amendments and rotational grazing. One‑time establishment practices include reforestation, windbreaks and silvopasture. The commission is instructed to prioritize projects of fifty acres or less and to give preference to beginning, Native Hawaiian and socially disadvantaged farmers. The proposal also authorizes the commission to hire partners with local experience to deliver technical assistance and to offer extra support for first‑time adopters, steps that supporters say could ease the upfront costs of shifting to regenerative practices (Legislature's website).
What’s next
Backers argue that a permanent, state‑run incentive program could help farms cut input costs, store more water in the landscape and sequester carbon, with benefits that build over time. Lawmakers still have to nail down funding levels and administrative details before mid‑session deadlines, and the real‑world impact of SB2110 will hinge on how robustly the program is staffed and funded if it becomes law.
