The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) has disbursed $427,670 through its Compost Reimbursement Program for Fiscal Year 2025. This funding was distributed to 24 agricultural operations in Hawai‘i to aid with the purchase and transport of compost. Of these recipients, 14 were farming businesses, while 10 were involved in landscaping. Each operation received an average reimbursement of approximately $17,820.
Governor Josh Green, M.D., allocated $400,000 for this initiative in August 2024 from funds set aside by the state Legislature under Act 231 for invasive species control programs. The HDOA supplemented this with an additional $27,670 from its department funds.
Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture, stated: “For many agricultural operations, compost is a necessary element and a major expense. Helping to defray some of the cost to purchase compost and also to transport it really helps out the growers.”
The program provided reimbursements covering up to 50% of compost costs incurred between July 1, 2024, and May 1, 2025. The reimbursements were capped at $50,000 per applicant. To qualify for reimbursement, compost had to be purchased from certified processors or retailers licensed in Hawai‘i. These processors must also be regulated by the Hawai‘i Department of Health Solid Waste Management Program to ensure that the compost is free from pests like the coconut rhinoceros beetle.
A bill proposed during the 2025 legislative session aims to extend this reimbursement program into 2026; however, funding levels have yet to be determined.
