Agriculturally based businesses would be allowed in agriculture districts under a measure signed into law today by Gov. Neil Abercrombie.

Permissible commercial activity includes the preparation and sale of certain food grown by the owner or operator of a retail food establishment and the sale of logo items related to a producer’s agricultural operation.

 “The ability to be able to take what you grow and turn it into products and to be able to sell it is really what this is all about — to get people used to not just the brand names but the fact that they’re able to support agriculture as a result,” Abercrombie said.

Senate Bill 2375 was among 16 bills signed into law Friday by the governor, who must notify the Legislature by June 25 of what bills he may veto.

One of those measures highlighted by Abercrombie was SB 2646, which is intended to promote diversified agriculture by exempting certain nonresidential agricultural buildings n commercial farms from county building permit requirements.