State ag dept. releases $427K in compost reimbursements to assist agricultural operations

The Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture (HDOA) Compost Reimbursement Program for Fiscal Year 2025 has completed disbursements totaling $427,670 to 24 Hawaiʻi agricultural operations for the purchase and transport of compost in Hawaiʻi. Of the 24 businesses, 14 were farming and 10 were landscaping operations, with an average reimbursement of about $17,820 each.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., released $400,000 for the program in August 2024, from funds appropriated by the 2024 state Legislature (Act 231) for programs to control invasive species. HDOA added another $27,670 from department funds toward the program.

“For many agricultural operations, compost is a necessary element and a major expense,” said Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture. “Helping to defray some of the cost to purchase compost and also to transport it really helps out the growers.”

The program reimbursed agricultural operations up to 50% of the cost of compost purchased between July 1, 2024 and May 1, 2025, including the cost of transportation. The reimbursements were not to exceed $50,000 per qualified applicant.

The program also required that the compost be purchased from a certified processor, retailer or wholesalers licensed to do business in Hawaiʻi. In addition, certified processors were limited to those companies regulated by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health Solid Waste Management Program, which helps to ensure that the compost does not harbor pests, such as the coconut rhinoceros beetle and other invasive species.

The 2025 legislative session included a bill that would continue the reimbursement program in 2026. The funding level is still pending.