The state has released $250,000 for a master plan to develop a 150-acre agricultural park in Kunia.

The land, which is to be managed by the state Department of Agriculture, was given to the state by Halekua Development Corp. as a condition of its zoning from the city for the Royal Kunia subdivision. The plan is scheduled to be done in December.

The state intends to subdivide the parcel into about 28 lots.

"Through agricultural parks, the state is able to lease land to small farmers at a reasonable cost," Gov. Linda Lingle said, in a release. "This encourages farming activity in our islands and allows more of our food supply to be locally grown. This project will increase our inventory of farming lots on O'ahu and also preserve land for agricultural use in an area where there is a significant amount of residential development."

The Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Resource Management Division operates 10 existing ag parks in the state — four on O'ahu, four on the Big Island and one each on Kaua'i and Moloka'i.