Supporting Locally Grown
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Supporting Locally Grown Hawaii has a long agricultural history, including traditional Hawaiian agricultural, fishing, hunting, and gathering practices; export-focused plantation agriculture and large-scale ranching; and, with the decline in our export-focused sugar and pineapple industries, a growth in smaller-scale diversified agriculture. Challenges that were difficult but manageable for plantation agriculture—like transporting products to markets, developing water resources, supporting research that solves production problems—are far harder for small farmers growing a wide variety of crops. At the same time, we are importing most of our food while farmers struggle to find markets. Our long-standing agriculture industries, like sugar, macadamia nuts, coffee, and ranching face increased challenges. Despite, and perhaps because of, the challenges of our geographic isolation, some agricultural innovators have found ways to thrive. While we are dependent on imports, we are not a dependent people. That’s why Congresswoman Hirono worked with agriculture leaders across the state and this spring released a sustainability plan outlining how Washington can help Hawaii become more food self-sufficient. The four point plan looks to help provide a solid foundation for farming in Hawaii and grow this industry by: 1. Assisting in meeting the basic needs for Hawaii’s agriculture industry by helping deliver water to farms and ranches; continuing research on Hawaii pests, diseases and crops; and helping overcome high production costs. 2. Encouraging increased production of Hawaii’s food by helping farmers find a market that covers their costs and returns a reasonable profit. Also, helping “grow” more farmers. 3. Supporting our agricultural exports that provide jobs here by advocating for the continuation of the U.S. sugar program and crop insurance programs that help the macadamia nut and coffee industries. 4. Supporting new opportunities in agriculture like agritourism that strengthen the Hawaii brand. “Hawaii’s vibrant local food community is committed to bringing the freshest products from our farms to Hawaii’s kitchens and tables.Buying and eating local is a great way to keep money circulating in the Hawaii’s economy, enjoy fresher and healthier food, reduce our environmental footprint, and help maintain our agricultural heritage and open spaces. We can do better than processed and imported foods; such as our local grass fed beef, and our Natural Farming Pork that is healthier tastier for our consumers. Mahalo to Congresswoman Hirono for highlighting and supporting the growing movement toward local food sustainability.” David Fuertes, Co-Owner Fuertes Ranch on Hawaii Island Working For Hawaii Championing the USDA’s Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program: This program is especially appropriate for Hawaii because it can address large-scale projects that service a variety of farmers. No other federal agricultural program can meet Hawaii’s needs in this regard. Congresswoman Hirono has helped secure more than $8.7 million from 2007 to 2010 for the projects under the program, including the Lower Hamakua Ditch Watershed Project, which will service some 150 diversified farmers and ranchers on Hawaii Island; the Upcountry Maui Watershed Project; the Lahaina Watershed (flood control) Project; and the Wailuku-Alenaio Watershed (flood control) Project in Hilo. In 2011, in the face of efforts to eliminate this program, Congresswoman Hirono led an effort to protect the initiative. She was successful in getting strong bipartisan support to restore $3 million to the program, which would have been cut. Protecting Our Crops: Congresswoman Hirono worked to get Hawaii added to the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) Program, which among other benefits provides a federal cost-share of up to 75 percent for installation of new on-farm irrigation systems. The program was designed to help states that are underserved by federal crop insurance, but Hawaii wasn’t one of the 15 states covered. The USDA determined that Hawaii wasn’t underserved because we have fairly high usage of the few federal crops insurance products available. Congresswoman Hirono explained to members of the House Agriculture Committee that Hawaii was underserved because there were so few policies available, and, as a result, Hawaii was added to the AMA program in the 2008 Farm Bill. Advocated for Specialty Crops: As a member of the Congressional Specialty Crops Caucus, Congresswoman Hirono has advocated for increased funding for specialty crops, which includes virtually everything that Hawaii grows. Traditionally, most of the Farm Bill crop funding has gone to support the so-called program crops: corn, wheat, cotton, rice, soybeans. Congresswoman Hirono and other members of congressional districts that produce fruits and vegetables, which represent more than half the value of U.S. agriculture, were successful for the first time in the 2008 Farm Bill in securing significant funding for these grants. Some Hawaii grants provided under this program include: · UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to provide specialty crop farmers with on-farm food safety training, education, outreach, and technical assistance. · Kokua Hawaii Foundation’s AINA in the Schools Program to provide educational materials and cafeteria procurement and preparation guides highlighting our state’s specialty crops for use by Hawaii schools participating in the federal Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Program. · Maui County Farm Bureau to implement a “Grown on Maui” program to provide a market edge for Maui farmers.
Support for research at the University of Hawaii and the Pacific Basin Agriculture Research Center (PBARC) at UH-Hilo: Congresswoman Hirono has secured millions of dollars in funding for the College of Tropical Agriculture and for tropical agriculture research. She also secured funding for floriculture research, and research on pineapple, papaya, sugarcane, and exotic tropical fruit.
USDA Fruit Fly Sterilization and Rearing Facility: Congresswoman Hirono has also successfully advocated for and secured funding for maintaining a Hawaii-based capability for raising sterile fruit flies to combat infestations of the Mediterranean fruit fly as well as the other three non-native fruit flies now established in Hawaii.
Supported Hawaii’s Four Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council: Hawaii’s RC&Ds (Garden Island RC&D, Tri-Isle RC&D, Big Island RC&D, and Oahu RC&D Councils) have provided community-based leadership for agricultural development for many years. Congresswoman Hirono supported base funding for the national RC&D funding every year and was successful in securing additional funds in the House for Hawaii’s RC&Ds. Unfortunately, Congress didn’t fund RC&Ds in fiscal year 2011; Congresswoman Hirono is working with a group of like-minded members to support resuming funding for this program.
Honeybee Protection/Varroa Mite Containment Program: Honeybees are vital to the agriculture industry in Hawaii as they pollinate many of the crops grown in Hawaii, such as macadamia nuts, fruits, and vegetables. One of the most devastating pests is the Varroa mite, which has been linked to the declining population of honeybees on the mainland United States. A declining honeybee population will lead to reduced pollination of corps and may lead to poor yields and low quality produce. The island of Hawaii has even become one of the world’s major suppliers of clean queen bees that are used to repopulate hives devastated by Varroa mites. In 2007 and 2008, Varroa mites were discovered on Oahu and Hawaii Island. Congresswoman Hirono has sought to protect our island agriculture through securing funding to suppress the Varroa mite in our state and prevent further infestations on other islands. Geographically Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers: Because our farmers and ranchers are so far removed from the marketplace, Congresswoman Hirono and Senator Inouye worked with the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to ensure that the “Reimbursement Transportation Cost Payment Program for Geographically Disadvantaged Farms and Ranchers” was included in the 2008 Farm Bill that became law. This initiative helps farmers and ranchers in Alaska, Hawaii and insular areas like Puerto Rico, Guam and American Samoa by defraying the costs of inputs like fertilizer and feed as well as transporting produce, meat and other products to the mainland. In May, the Hawaii delegation announced $1.996 million in payments for fiscal year 2011 will be made, helping level the playing field for Hawaii’s farmers and ranchers. Congresswoman Hirono is continuing to champion this program as the new Farm Bill is written. Promoting Natural Farming: Congresswoman Hirono has been impressed by the results generated from using Korean “natural farming” techniques. One advantage is that the techniques rely on materials at hand and don’t utilize imported fertilizers. Because of the interest in these methods among Hawaii farmers, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service set aside some funds from the extra grant monies that the Hawaii Congressional Delegation was able to help secure for Agricultural Development in fiscal year 2010. Congresswoman Hirono learned that funds had not been distributed to farmers on Oahu. After following up with the USDA, the funding issues was resolved and the farmers who won the grants were notified. Helping Hawaii’s Families An orchid grower who contacted Congresswoman Hirono’s office was frustrated because he was certified to ship orchid plants with flowers on them but needed a second certification from USDA to ship the flowers from the same plants in his certified nursery. After Congresswoman Hirono contacted USDA, the grower was certified to send flowers separately. USDA also indicated that they would be looking at revising its rules based on this case. |
