The state Department of Agriculture is considering a change to its internal rules to stop the movement of plant material infested with pest species.
Under the proposed changes, the State Plant Regulatory Official would be able to order a company to keep plant materials if they contain pests. The SPRO is in charge of the state’s pest detection and regulation.
The agricultural department recently fielded public testimony where farmers, environmental organizations, lawmakers and the public urged the department to implement the new rules.
“The biggest issue, the biggest missing piece, the biggest gap in our response is regulatory authority to stop the movement of infested materials that continue to spread some of these pests and could spread other high impact invasive species around the island and potentially to other islands,” said Nate Dube, the manager for the Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee.
Problematic species like little fire ants and coconut rhinoceros beetles can hitch rides around the state through plants and mulch. While Hawaiʻi is threatened by many invasive species, those and several others have recently spread around the state.
Under the DOA’s proposed rules, the state could also stop the movement of material in an area infested with insects, diseases or pests. It could also require the area to be treated before any material is transported away.
Many of the species pose environmental or agricultural threats in Hawaiʻi, but they can also be directly harmful to people. The little fire ants are notably aggressive and have a painful sting.
A few months ago the state agriculture department said it knew of five nurseries that knowingly sold infested plant material.
“I'm so concerned about the kūpuna that are presenting themselves with little fire ant bites. And if you know how little fire ant bites work, you know they erupt. And that means it's a risk infection, which means the risk of sepsis and serious illness,” said Wayne Tanaka, director of the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi.
Some have said that the changes needed to come much earlier.
Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, has urged the DOA to do more to limit the movement of invasive species.
At the hearing, he suggested that the department was hesitating to implement the rules in order to protect nurseries and their advocates, who warned that stopping the movement of plant material could harm them and local agriculture.
DOA Chair Sharon Hurd admitted several months ago that there were a handful of nurseries that were knowingly selling material that was infested with an invasive species, namely little red fire ants.
But the department has recently committed to moving forward with the rulemaking process, which Keohokalole urged it to continue doing.
“I thank you for your consideration and reconsideration of this rules package, and I ask that you please move expeditiously to finalize the rules as they are currently presented and drafted so that you have the tools to take action and to hold everyone in the community accountable,” he said.
