HALO statewide local purchasing benchmark initiative

Establish HALO — Hawai‘i Ag & Local Opportunity: Sustainable Tourism Purchasing Initiative, proposed by Hawaii Ag & Culinary Alliance. HALO would establish Hawai‘i's official statewide benchmark for tracking dollars spent by hotels, restaurants, retailers, and visitor-related businesses on locally grown agricultural products, seafood, and Hawai‘i-made value-added products. The initiative would develop a standardized system to verify purchasing, establish economic baselines, and measure annual increases in local spending. A complementary recognition and marketing program would highlight businesses committed to buying local while educating visitors about Hawai‘i's agricultural and culinary heritage. HALO would strengthen connections between tourism and local producers, encourage greater local purchasing, and reinforce Hawai‘i's distinctive identity as a culinary destination.