A new agricultural tax program is being implemented on the island of Hawaii, but some politicians are trying to delay its implementation in order to allay the concerns of local producers.

Last year, Hawaii’s County Council reformed the local agriculture tax structure to encourage farming, but this has raised fears that small farmers will ultimately face higher taxes and more obstacles.

The Council is seeking to address these concerns, including through two measures it learned about this week. Bill 188 would postpone the expiry date of one of the existing agricultural programmes by one year to give producers more time to familiarise themselves with the new programmes.

Council leader Heather Kimball said some of the concerns were due to confusion about the new structure and more time would help farmers be better informed.

“I’ve found that 100% of the time, when I explain the changes to them, people feel much more comfortable. But right now, (the County of Hawaii Property Tax Department) is supporting this change by simply extending everything for a year and giving people a little more time to fill out their paperwork and figure out what program they’re going to be in,” Kimball said during a council committee hearing.

The county’s Non-Dedicated Agricultural Use Assessment program is used by both hobby farmers and farmers who practice more intensive farming but do not want to commit to farming long-term, Kimball said.

This program will be eliminated and the two groups will have individual programs under the new tax structure.

Bill 189 would include “pasture land for food production” as part of the backyard farming program.

At the same time, Hawaii County is delaying the introduction of the new tax structure.

After major concerns were raised at a public hearing on the new tax programs in July, Mayor Mitch Roth announced that a decision on the final program would be delayed until October 15.

“Our government is committed to creating a sustainable island where our keiki can thrive for generations to come. A key part of that vision is supporting and promoting agriculture to reduce our dependence on imported food and the costs associated with it,” Roth said in a statement.

“These rules aim to provide the necessary tools and resources for farming and land management while ensuring accountability. We want to ensure that those who commit to these efforts are contributing to the betterment of our island home,” he added.