Governor Josh Green, M.D.

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

 

JOSH GREEN, M.D.

GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

 

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM

KA ʻOIHANA HOʻOMOHALA PĀʻOIHANA, ʻIMI WAIWAI A HOʻOMĀKAʻIKAʻI

 

JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA

DIRECTOR

KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

 

AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

 

WENDY GADY

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

 

SENATE CONFIRMS LEADERSHIP FOR HAWAI‘I AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 27, 2026

HONOLULU – The Hawaiʻi State Senate has confirmed Governor Josh Green’s reappointment of current Board Chair Jayson M. Watts to the board of directors of the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC), along with the appointments of David Hinazumi and Joshua Uyehara. The confirmations ensure leadership continuity for the agency responsible for managing the state’s most critical agricultural land and water infrastructure.

“These confirmations represent a commitment to the mission of the Agribusiness Development Corporation and the vital role it plays in Hawaiʻi’s future,” said Watts, who has chaired the ADC board since 2025. “The work ahead is focused on the responsible stewardship of public land and water resources, ensuring these public trust systems are protected and modernized to form the infrastructure backbone for a resilient, diversified agricultural economy. Our priority remains fulfilling the state’s promise of long-term food security and economic opportunity through a board that holds itself directly accountable for the agency’s performance and results.”

“Strong collaboration between the state, the agricultural community and local producers is critical to building a resilient food system,” said James Kunane Tokioka, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. “The confirmed board members bring the knowledge and experience needed to support that work and their service will help ensure our agricultural resources are managed responsibly for the benefit of communities across Hawai‘i.”

 

A Legacy of Agricultural Stewardship

Established by the Legislature in 1994, the ADC was created to provide the leadership needed to transition Hawaiʻi’s economy from the plantation era to a future of diversified agriculture. As sugar and pineapple operations wound down, the ADC was empowered to keep thousands of acres of arable land and complex irrigation networks in productive use for the public benefit.

Today, the ADC administers more than 22,800 acres across Kauaʻi, Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island. With an 81% occupancy rate, the corporation provides the physical foundation for hundreds of local farmers, ranchers and aquaculture producers who are essential to increasing Hawaiʻi’s local food production.

 

Stewarding the State’s Water Heritage

Central to the ADC mission is the restoration and operation of historic irrigation systems vital to modern food security. These public trust systems include:

• Waiāhole Irrigation System (Oʻahu): A 26-mile engineering marvel that delivers 8–12 million gallons of water daily to 5,600 acres in central Oʻahu, helping preserve drinking water aquifers by supplying high-quality nonpotable water for crops.
• Kekaha Irrigation System (Kauaʻi): A network serving 6,570 acres on the Mānā Plain that also functions as a renewable energy source through hydroelectric plants and plays a critical flood-control role for the surrounding community.
• East Kauaʻi Irrigation System (EKIS): A 10-mile system supporting 5,920 acres of diverse crops, from traditional taro to tropical fruits.
• Wahiawā Irrigation System (Oʻahu): A high-priority acquisition for 2026, anchored by the Wahiawā Dam and Lake Wilson, one of the state’s largest inland bodies of water with a capacity of about 3 billion gallons. The system includes the historic Wahiawā Reservoir Ditch and is the lifeblood of Central Oʻahu and North Shore agriculture. Once restored and integrated, it has the potential to support up to 17,000 acres of prime farmland, providing a stable, gravity-fed water source essential for large-scale crop diversification and the long-term viability of the Galbraith lands and surrounding agricultural corridors.

 

About the Confirmed Members

The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism cited highlighted the nominees’ deep professional expertise in its recommendation for confirmation:

• Jayson M. Watts (Maui member): Currently the director of environmental health and safety at Mahi Pono, LLC, Watts has chaired the ADC board since 2025. The committee cited his extensive public policy experience and senior governmental roles, noting that his leadership has successfully “strengthened transparency and alignment with statutory responsibilities.”
• David Hinazumi (Kauaʻi member): A senior vice president at Grove Farm Company with more than 20 years in agricultural land management. A former deputy public defender in Colorado, Hinazumi was praised for his “thorough understanding of board roles and extensive legal expertise.”
• Joshua Uyehara (at-large member): Fourth-generation farmer and principal at UI Hawai‘i Consulting LLC. He previously served a decade as president of the Kekaha Agriculture Association and was noted for his “extensive experience in agricultural management” and practical perspective as a producer.

 

Note to media: Photo attached featuring Senator Lynn DeCoite, David Hinazumi, Jayson Watts, Joshua Uyehara and Senate President Ronald Kouchi, courtesy Hawai‘i State Senate.

 

About the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC)

The Agribusiness Development Corporation is a public corporation administratively attached to the Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Its mission is to acquire and manage arable lands and water systems to foster a market-responsive agricultural industry that increases local food security and reduces Hawai‘i’s reliance on imported goods.

 

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