By Jayson M. Watts, Chair, HFIA Board of Directors
Every June, a powerful transformation takes place in our nation's capital. For a few days, the marble corridors of Washington, D.C., are filled with the scent of fresh plumeria, the sounds of slack key guitar, and the energy of Hawaii business community.
This past June 6 to 11, 2026, marked a monumental milestone: the 10th Annual Hawaii on the Hill. Co-hosted by U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono and the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, this year's delegation brought more than 200 local leaders representing over 90 businesses and nonprofits directly to federal decision-makers. For those of us in the Hawaii Food Industry Association (HFIA) and the Hawaii Farm Bureau, this event is our premier platform to showcase the very best of Hawaii agricultural and culinary landscape.
One of the most powerful aspects of Hawaii on the Hill is how it unites the entire food pipeline. The strategic partnership between the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, HFIA, and the Hawaii Farm Bureau creates a formidable advocacy triad.
While the Chamber champions the overarching business climate, HFIA and the Farm Bureau bring the ground-level realities of the food supply chain straight to federal ears. Together, our focus centers on:
- Strengthening supply chain resilience to protect our isolated island economy.
- Securing federal funding for agricultural technology, biosecurity, and infrastructure.
- Advocating for regulatory relief and small business protections that keep local farms and family grocery stores viable.
Farming is a Business, Hawaii Food is Big Business
We often romanticize agriculture in Hawaii, viewing our fields through a purely scenic lens. But let us be entirely clear: we sometimes forget that farming is a business, and Hawaii food industry is big business.
From soil to shelf, our agricultural and food sectors represent a massive economic engine. If our farmers cannot operate profitably, our local supply chains collapse, our retail shelves empty, and our dependency on imported goods skyrockets. By standing shoulder-to-shoulder in D.C., we showed federal leaders that investing in Hawaii agricultural infrastructure is about protecting a vital sector of Hawaii GDP and building true economic resilience.
Our Champions in Washington: A Powerful Lineup
We are fortunate to have a dedicated Congressional Delegation representing us. Keeping them continuously informed of our challenges gives them the ammunition they need to advocate for Hawaii interests:
- Senator Mazie Hirono (Senate Small Business Committee): As our co-host for Hawaii on the Hill, Senator Hirono has been a relentless champion for our small businesses, utilizing her seat on the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee to safeguard the diverse ecosystem of our local manufacturers, retailers, and family-run commercial operations.
- Senator Brian Schatz (Senate Appropriations and Commerce Committees): Senator Schatz uses his leadership on the powerful Appropriations and Commerce Committees to directly target Hawaii transportation infrastructure. His work ensures that our harbor systems, shipping lifelines, and cargo pathways receive the critical federal resources required to keep goods moving smoothly to our isolated islands.
- Congressman Ed Case (House Appropriations Committee): Serving on the highly influential committee managing federal spending, Congressman Case has been a fierce economic defender of Hawaii business and agricultural bottom lines. He has put his legislative weight behind securing over $216 million for pest control programs, defending the critical Reimbursement Transportation Cost Payment Program (RTCP) to offset island shipping costs, and fighting for funding that directly supports our local specialty growers.
- Congresswoman Jill Tokuda (House Agriculture Committee): As our dedicated representative on the Agriculture Committee, Congresswoman Tokuda is a tireless advocate for boosting our local agricultural capacity and cutting business costs. She spearheaded the Tariff Free Farming Act to eliminate heavy costs on vital agricultural imports like feed and equipment. She also successfully secured key provisions in the House Farm Bill draft, including doubling funding for the Micro-Grants for Food Security Program to $30 million, establishing a dedicated Tropical Plant Health Initiative to support specialty crops, and securing $2.5 billion for critical agricultural research facilities
Capturing the Capital: "Taste of Hawaii"
The absolute crown jewel of the week was the legendary Taste of Hawaii exhibition on Capitol Hill.
This year, a record-breaking crowd of over 1,600 members of Congress, federal agency staffers, and national leaders packed the room. They did not just hear about our products; they tasted them.
From local mainstays like the Hawaiian Chip Company, Kauai Kookie, and Lappert’s Ice Cream to fresh island produce from Mahi Pono, Maui Gold, and Aloun Farms, we brought the physical bounty of our islands directly to their plates.
Our participation in partnership with the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival (HFWF) elevated this culinary showcase even further. HFWF brought world-class culinary talent to Washington, demonstrating that Hawaii is not just a vacation destination, but a global culinary and agricultural powerhouse.
The Takeaway: The Unmatched Power of "Showing Up"
Having worked in Washington, D.C. myself for the late Congresswoman Patsy Mink, I can personally attest to the absolute truth of Senator Hirono’s comment: showing up is indeed half the battle.
In a town where thousands of interests compete for attention daily, the need to be seen and heard in person cannot be overstated. When you are an island state situated 5,000 miles away, it is easy to become "out of sight, out of mind". But when we walk the halls of Congress in person, we become impossible to ignore.
In-person advocacy allows us to:
- Put a Human Face on Policy: It is one thing to read a shipping brief; it is another to look a Hawaii farmer in the eye and hear how federal policies impact their weekly payroll.
- Create Lasting Memories: Staffers will never forget the delegation that brought the genuine warmth of the Aloha State and shared our world-class local products.
- Demonstrate Unified Clout: Showing up together, Chamber, HFIA, Farm Bureau, and the Food and Wine Festival, signals that Hawaii business community is organized and aligned.
By continuing to show up in Washington, we are establishing real, lasting brand equity for "Made in Hawaii" products. We are proving that our local food industry is sophisticated, vital, and absolutely worth protecting.
Let us continue to support each other and keep the momentum of Hawaii on the Hill alive right here at home!
