What You Need to Know About Hawaiʻi’s Agriculture Form

All passengers on flights arriving in the Islands are required to fill out this document.

As one of the most isolated archipelagos in the world, the Hawaiian Islands are home to diverse ecosystems and an agricultural industry that produces a unique variety of crops. It’s this one-of-a-kind environment that lures millions of travelers to Hawaiʻi every year.

But the Islands’ native forests and farmlands are also extremely susceptible to diseases and pests carried by plants and animals brought into the state. Hawaiʻi is considered an epicenter of extinction, with the introduction of invasive species wreaking havoc on native plants and animals.

This is why passengers arriving to any Hawaiian island, whether on a flight from Dallas or Tokyo or anywhere else, are required to fill out the state’s Agricultural Declaration Form. The forms are distributed during flights and one person in each traveling party must complete and return the form to the airline.

The single page questionnaire asks passengers to list if they’re carrying any plants, undeclared animals or agricultural materials to the Islands. On the other side of the form is an optional survey from the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority.

The form is intended to protect the state from invasive species and pests. By educating travelers before they even board flights to the Islands, the state can better prevent agricultural materials and potential biohazards from arriving in the first place.

The Hawaiʻi Legislature is working to digitize the declaration form. While there is no confirmed date for when that will be complete, one proposal includes sending electronic versions to passengers when they check in to their flights. And in an August 2024 interview, Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture Director Sharon Hurd said the state is working on building an app that would allow passengers to complete the digital survey.

Until the state creates a digital version, all passengers will still be required to fill out paper forms on their flights.

What to Do if You’re Traveling with Agricultural Materials like Plants, Produce and Seeds:

• If travelers realize they’re carrying fresh produce on them, there’s an amnesty bin at all airports. You can deposit any produce and agricultural products in the designated containers.
• Plant quarantine inspectors are stationed in the baggage claim area to examine all agricultural items.
• The Department of Agriculture also requires dogs, cats and all pets to be quarantined. You can request special permits for service animals. Additional information can be found at the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture Animal Quarantine page.

When You Depart the Islands:

Travelers are not allowed to take agricultural products like fruits, vegetables and seeds from Hawaiʻi to the U.S. mainland. Bags are screened for agricultural products to prevent the spread of fruit flies and other hazardous plant and insect diseases.