Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity

What Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity does

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) is a state government department of the State of Hawaii, headquartered in Honolulu with 279 employees statewide. DAB operates across four primary divisions: Plant Industry (quarantine, pest control, pesticides, apiary), Animal Industry (quarantine, disease control, veterinary lab, aquaculture support), Agricultural Development (market development, statistics, loan programs), and Quality Assurance. The department's core mission is to prevent the introduction and establishment of invasive plants, animals, and diseases that threaten Hawaii's agriculture and environment, while supporting growth of state agriculture and aquaculture industries through market development, branding programs (Seal of Quality, Made in Hawaii with Aloha), and financial assistance.

DAB's underlying technology includes the HIPOP (Hawaii Pet Owner Portal) for online animal import applications, the Akamai Arrival digital declaration system for travelers arriving in Hawaii, and the State Biosecurity Dashboard coordinating cross-agency biosecurity programs. The department operates a statewide physical office network on Oahu, Hawaii Island, Maui, and Kauai, plus inspection stations at harbors and airports. The Plant Quarantine Branch — operating since 1888 — inspects cargo, mail, and luggage for restricted agricultural items, while the Animal Quarantine Station maintains Hawaii's rabies-free status through rabies quarantine programs for incoming dogs and cats.

DAB's revenue model is government-funded through state budget appropriations, federal grants (USDA Plant Protection Act Section 7721, Specialty Crop Block Grant Program), and transactional service fees (animal quarantine fees $185-$244 per pet, plant quarantine permits, brand registration $10, microbial product registration $150). The department does not sell commercial products but rather delivers regulatory, inspection, and agricultural development services to Hawaii residents, agricultural producers, exporters, and travelers. Customer segments include farmers, ranchers, aquaculture operators, pet owners, livestock producers, and agricultural exporters across the State of Hawaii.

Name

Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity

Legal name

Department of Agriculture & Biosecurity - State of Hawaiʻi

Website

https://dab.hawaii.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1888

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) is a state government department of 279 employees that regulates plant and animal imports, controls invasive species, and supports Hawaii's agriculture and aquaculture industries through quarantine, pest control, market development, branding programs, and agricultural loans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Agriculture and Biosecurity Regulation

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterinary Public Health, Biosecurity & Disease Control Services (AFAEANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Import/Export Controls & Border Biosecurity (HLAMAJAF), Biosecurity, Sanitation & Pest Control Services for Animal Facilities (AFAEALAI), Health Certification, Compliance & Traceability Support (Movement Certs, QA Programs) (AFACALAI)

Keywords

• Agricultural biosecurity regulation
• Plant quarantine inspection
• Animal import quarantine
• Agricultural loan programs
• Invasive species control

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriation and State Budget: DAB is a state government department funded primarily through state budget appropriations. It does not operate on a commercial revenue model but rather provides regulatory, inspection, and agricultural development services to the public as a government agency.
2. Animal Quarantine Fees: Fees collected for animal quarantine services including direct airport release ($185 standard, $244 if documents not received 10+ days before arrival), 5 Day or Less quarantine ($244), neighbor island inspection permit ($165), and re-entry fees ($98 standard, $130 if documents not received 10+ days before arrival).
3. Inspection and Permit Fees: Fees for plant quarantine permits, import permits for microorganisms and non-domestic animals, microbial product registration ($150), phytosanitary certificates, and other regulatory services.
4. Agricultural Loan Interest: The Agricultural Loan Division provides loans to farmers and agricultural businesses, generating revenue through interest on loan repayments.
5. Brand Registration Fees: Fees collected for brand registration for livestock ($10.00 per registration, payable to Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) is the state government agency that regulates plant and animal imports into Hawaii, enforces animal and plant quarantine requirements, controls invasive pests and diseases, administers agricultural loans and grant programs, operates the Veterinary Laboratory and animal disease surveillance, and runs the Seal of Quality and Made in Hawaii with Aloha branding/certification programs. It serves Hawaii's agriculture and aquaculture industries, pet owners importing animals, agricultural exporters, and the general public through statewide branch offices, airport and harbor inspection stations, and online portals.

Product overview

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) is a state government agency offering a portfolio of regulatory, support, and certification services organized into distinct divisions: Plant Industry (quarantine, pest control, pesticides), Animal Industry (quarantine, disease control, veterinary lab, aquaculture support), Agricultural Development (market development, statistics, loan programs), and Quality Assurance. The department does not offer a unified software product but rather distinct service programs including the Plant Quarantine Program, Animal Quarantine Program, Seal of Quality and Made in Hawaiʻi with Aloha branding certifications, Micro-Grants and Specialty Crops Block Grants, Agricultural Loan Programs, the Hawaii Pet Owner Portal (HIPOP) for pet imports, and the Akamai Arrival digital declaration system. These services are delivered through physical inspection, regulatory enforcement, financial assistance, and online portals rather than a unified software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Akamai Arrival: Pilot program digitizing Plant and Animal Declaration Forms for travelers arriving in Hawaii
• HIPOP

Products and services

• Plant Quarantine Program
• Plant Pest Control Branch

Quantifiable outcome

• Rabies-free status maintained for Hawaii since quarantine program inception
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and moderate.

• University of HawaiicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026HDAB and University of Hawaii (UH) jointly secured more than $322,000 in federal grant funding through USDA's Plant Protection Act Section 7721 program to strengthen Hawaii's ability to detect, assess, and respond to emerging plant pathogen threats.
• Matson Navigation CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026HDAB nominated Matson for the Western Plant Board Partnership Award in recognition of the company's longstanding collaboration and leadership in protecting Hawaii from invasive species and injurious plant pests. Matson was selected as the award recipient.
• WUSATA (Western United States Agricultural Trade Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerWUSATA combines federal, state, and industry resources for export market development. DAB's Market Development Branch participates in WUSATA events to expand Hawaii agricultural products into the global marketplace. The contact for WUSATA-related activities is the Market Development Branch at (808) 973-9465.
• Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIISC provides training sessions for organizations, companies, and persons handling coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB) host materials in designated CRB-infested areas. Upon completion, BIISC staff submit compliance agreement applications to DAB. BIISC is part of the interagency CRB Working Group.
• Maui Invasive Species Committee (MoMISC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoMISC staff detect and monitor coconut rhinoceros beetle on Maui and Molokai. MoMISC deployed staff found the second dead CRB on Molokai near Kaunakakai Harbor. MoMISC is part of the interagency Maui CRB Working Group coordinated with DAB.
• USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA APHIS works with HDAB on bovine tuberculosis response on Molokai (MOU signed November 24, 2025), livestock disease control programs, and cooperative eradication programs. APHIS also provides regulatory oversight for plant and animal exports.
• Domestic Commercial AirlinesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll domestic commercial airlines flying into Hawaii participate in the Akamai Arrival pilot program which digitizes the Plant and Animal Declaration Form. The program began March 1, 2025 and coordinates traveler data collection with DAB's biosecurity inspection services.
• Hawaii Longline AssociationmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Hawaii Longline Association represents local tuna fisheries that are stakeholders in Act 238 (ahi country of origin labeling law). DAB's Quality Assurance Division supports enforcement of the labeling law through education and outreach.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights12 records

Direct peers

• New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets: New York's state agriculture agency overseeing plant and animal health, food safety, agricultural marketing, and consumer protection. Comparable peer in regulatory scope and program diversity.
• New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries: New Zealand's national biosecurity and primary industries agency managing border biosecurity, animal and plant health, and agricultural development. Highly comparable given both nations' island geography and shared focus on invasive species prevention.
• California Department of Food and Agriculture: California's primary state agency for agriculture regulation, plant and animal health, and agricultural marketing. Most directly comparable state peer in scale, mandate, and program structure (plant quarantine, animal disease control, market development, branding programs).
• Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: Florida's state agriculture department overseeing plant industry, animal industry, agricultural water policy, and consumer protection. Comparable scope including invasive species management, livestock disease control, and agricultural marketing.
• Texas Department of Agriculture: Texas's state agriculture agency handling plant and animal health programs, agricultural product marketing, and regulatory enforcement. Comparable peer due to similar regulatory scope over plant/animal health and agricultural standards.
• Oregon Department of Agriculture: Oregon's state agriculture agency managing plant health, animal health, food safety, and natural resource programs. Comparable peer with similarly distributed regulatory and program functions across the state.
• Washington State Department of Agriculture: Washington's state agriculture department managing plant health programs (including invasive species), animal health, pesticide regulation, and agricultural development. Comparable peer with similarly structured program divisions and biosecurity mandate.

Broad incumbents

• USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS): Federal agency responsible for protecting U.S. agriculture from pests and diseases. Active DAB partner on bovine TB response, livestock disease control, and plant export oversight. Operates as the federal-level counterpart that funds and coordinates with state departments.
• Australia Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry: Australian federal department managing biosecurity, animal and plant health, agricultural trade, and fisheries. Comparable as an island-continent biosecurity operator with similar pest/disease threat profile to Hawaii.

Emerging players

• University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources: Active DAB partner on USDA Plant Protection Act grants for plant pathogen detection. Functions as a research and extension partner that augments DAB's biosecurity capacity and shares overlapping stakeholder relationships with Hawaii's agriculture sector.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hdoapio
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity