THE SENATE S.R. NO. 77 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D. 1 STATE OF HAWAII SENATE RESOLUTION urging the HAWAII Department of Agriculture and Department of Agriculture of the County of Maui to take further meaningful action to address the axis deer overpopulation.
THE SENATE S.R. NO. 77
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
THE SENATE
S.R. NO.
77
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
SENATE RESOLUTION
urging the HAWAII Department of Agriculture and Department of Agriculture of the County of Maui to take further meaningful action to address the axis deer overpopulation.
WHEREAS, eating locally-grown food and meats are known to provide a benefit to the local economy and to the citizens of the State; and WHEREAS, the people of the State deserve to have access to the many local foods, including locally-hunted meat, available on the islands; and WHEREAS, the overpopulation of axis deer has been a great detriment to Maui by overgrazing native plants that would otherwise aid in mitigating erosion and fire and flood effects; and WHEREAS, axis deer are a plentiful source of high-quality, delicious protein; and WHEREAS, other states have successfully implemented programs that process and distribute locally-hunted meat to their community, for example Pennsylvania's Hunters Sharing the Harvest Program, which yearly donates over one hundred thousand pounds of venison to over five thousand food banks; and WHEREAS, existing United States Department of Agriculture inspection and meat processing requirements severely limit the financial and practical feasibility of the State's local hunters to successfully maintain a reasonably low population of axis deer and to distribute venison to the community; and WHEREAS, an increase of in-state meat inspectors certified by the United States Department of Agriculture would lower the cost of inspections for local hunters, provide a benefit to the agricultural industry in the State, and make locally-hunted venison more available and safer for the community to consume; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Department of Agriculture of the County of Maui are urged to take further meaningful action to address the axis deer overpopulation, including: (1) Implementing policies to make in-state inspectors certified by the United States Department of Agriculture, certified inspections, and certified processing facilities more accessible, capable, and affordable for local hunters to utilize to sell or gift venison; and (2) Implementing policies to increase the amount of in‑state certified United States Department of Agriculture meat inspectors for game mammals; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Department of Agriculture of the County of Maui are urged to convene a joint task force to oversee a County of Maui program that, in coordination with the United States Department of Agriculture certified processing facilities, would aim to investigate and develop plans to make affordable the processing of locally-hunted axis deer meat and the distribution of this venison to the community; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the joint task force is requested to submit a report of the program's accomplishments and barriers to the accomplishment of the program with its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than November 30, 2025; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the United States Secretary of Agriculture, Administrator of the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, Deputy Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Governor, Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Mayor of the County of Maui, each member of the Maui County Council, and Director of the Department of Agriculture of the County of Maui.
WHEREAS, eating locally-grown food and meats are known to provide a benefit to the local economy and to the citizens of the State; and
WHEREAS, the people of the State deserve to have access to the many local foods, including locally-hunted meat, available on the islands; and
WHEREAS, the overpopulation of axis deer has been a great detriment to Maui by overgrazing native plants that would otherwise aid in mitigating erosion and fire and flood effects; and
WHEREAS, axis deer are a plentiful source of high-quality, delicious protein; and
WHEREAS, other states have successfully implemented programs that process and distribute locally-hunted meat to their community, for example Pennsylvania's Hunters Sharing the Harvest Program, which yearly donates over one hundred thousand pounds of venison to over five thousand food banks; and
WHEREAS, existing United States Department of Agriculture inspection and meat processing requirements severely limit the financial and practical feasibility of the State's local hunters to successfully maintain a reasonably low population of axis deer and to distribute venison to the community; and
WHEREAS, an increase of in-state meat inspectors certified by the United States Department of Agriculture would lower the cost of inspections for local hunters, provide a benefit to the agricultural industry in the State, and make locally-hunted venison more available and safer for the community to consume; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Department of Agriculture of the County of Maui are urged to take further meaningful action to address the axis deer overpopulation, including:
(1) Implementing policies to make in-state inspectors certified by the United States Department of Agriculture, certified inspections, and certified processing facilities more accessible, capable, and affordable for local hunters to utilize to sell or gift venison; and
(2) Implementing policies to increase the amount of in‑state certified United States Department of Agriculture meat inspectors for game mammals; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Department of Agriculture of the County of Maui are urged to convene a joint task force to oversee a County of Maui program that, in coordination with the United States Department of Agriculture certified processing facilities, would aim to investigate and develop plans to make affordable the processing of locally-hunted axis deer meat and the distribution of this venison to the community; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the joint task force is requested to submit a report of the program's accomplishments and barriers to the accomplishment of the program with its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than November 30, 2025; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the United States Secretary of Agriculture, Administrator of the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, Deputy Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Governor, Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Mayor of the County of Maui, each member of the Maui County Council, and Director of the Department of Agriculture of the County of Maui.
Report Title: Department of Agriculture; Maui County; Axis Deer Overpopulation; Joint Task Force; Report
Report Title:
Department of Agriculture; Maui County; Axis Deer Overpopulation; Joint Task Force; Report