REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON HAWAII'S FOOD MANUFACTURING STRENGTHS AND STRATEGIC MARKETS.

This bill requests the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to conduct a study on Hawaii's food manufacturing strengths and identify strategic markets for local high-value products. The study will analyze competitive advantages, calculate minimum profit margins needed to overcome Hawaii's high operational costs, and assess logistical barriers to exporting. It also asks the University of Hawaii to update its curriculum to teach entrepreneurs how to engineer products for premium export markets and requires the Agribusiness Development Corporation to use findings to guide future facility development.