Lawmakers are questioning whether the state Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity should still lead Hawaiʻi’s efforts to manage invasive species.
DAB in recent years has been criticized for its handling of pest species, the latest being a policy from 1995 that allows inspectors to “inspect and release” goods with known pests if they have “light insect or disease infestation.”
Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, who’s been one of the department’s most vocal critics, in an informational briefing this week noted that a DAB policy conflicts with state law that does not allow pest-infested goods to enter Hawaiʻi…