Support Beginning Farmers, Food Hubs, and More!
This week, there are several bills and resolutions slated for hearings before the House Committee on Agriculture. These bills and resolutions will help local farmers in various ways, establish local food hubs, and prevent dangerous pesticide violations in Hawaiʻi.
Please join us in supporting HB3197 SD2 (Farmer Apprentice Mentorship Program), SB2218 SD1 (Food Hub Pilot Program), HCR 24/HR 22 (Restricted-Use Pesticide Violations Enforcement), HCR 25/HR 23 (Support for Food Hubs), and HCR 92/HR 86 (Regenerative Solutions to Coffee Leaf Rust). These bills and resolutions will be heard before the House Committee on Agriculture this Wednesday, March 23, at 9 AM.
Testimonies are due TOMORROW on Tuesday, March 22, at 9 AM.
What Is a Resolution?
Legislators introduce and hold hearings on resolutions alongside bills. Although resolutions don’t become law, they do express the sentiment of the Legislature and may prove vital in moving your issue forward. We have reached the point in session when resolutions are scheduled for hearings.
About the Bills and Resolutions
Please feel free to use the talking points below when submitting your testimony. You can also write something powerful from your experience on why this issue matters to you.
SB3197 SD2 - Farmer Apprentice Mentorship Program
What Does This Bill Do?
Establishes a farmer apprentice mentoring program to train new and beginning farmers.
Why Is This Important?
New and aspiring farmers face a myriad of challenges. This includes acquiring the knowledge and skills for an adequate production and business, accessing the tools necessary to evaluate their resources, and developing feasible farming and business plans. The future of Hawaiʻi’s farming industry, food supply, and agriculture is reliant upon increasing and diversifying the number of new, local farmers. We must introduce regenerative farming methods, enhance the long-term viability of farm businesses, utilize and build upon existing beginning farmer training methods, provide opportunities for potential farmers who are socially or financially disadvantaged, and increase support for beginning farmers who already own or manage a farm.
SB2218 SD1 - Food Hub Pilot Program
What Does This Bill Do?
Establishes a five-year food hub pilot program to increase access to local food. Provides for the award of grant funding to qualified applicants wishing to establish or expand a food hub.
Why is This Important?
Food hubs provide markets for small farmers and food producers to sell their produce and food products. It can be challenging for small farmers and food producers to find retail outlets and markets for their goods. Food hubs level the playing field for smaller-scale producers by connecting them with customers who want to support local and sustainably grown food. Food hubs also aggregate produce and added value products and often provide delivery and pick-up options.
Additional Talking Points
Finding access to distribution into mainstream markets and stores is challenging for local, small-scale producers. Food hubs can help overcome this challenge by helping producers to market their products.
The functions and structure of a food hub vary, but often include the following:
Market access for local producers
Information sharing
Transportations and distribution
Brokerage services
Product bundling and aggregation
Season extension
Maintaining producer-consumer connections
Producer-oriented technical assistance
Food hubs also assist with the development of resilient and equitable local food systems, which provide greater access to healthy foods for those living in “food deserts”. This is where people have limited access to a variety of healthy produce.
Support of food hubs will also actively help to increase local food security.
The more we support local food production, aggregation, and consumption, the more we decrease our carbon footprint, support our small-scale food producers and keep dollars in our local economy.
Additional Resources
https://www.civilbeat.org/2021/12/5-ways-to-help-hawaii-farmers-in-2022/
https://www.civilbeat.org/2021/04/hawaiis-food-hubs-find-strength-in-numbers/
HCR24/HR22 - Restricted Use Pesticide Violations Enforcement
What Does This Resolution Do?
Requests the Department of Agriculture to submit a report on pesticide inspections conducted within the past 5 years and strengthens statewide enforcement of restricted use pesticide violations.
Why is This Important?
Enforcement of Hawaiʻi’s pesticide laws, as well as timely and routine inspections and compliance investigations of potential pesticide misuse, are crucial to protecting public health and the environment.
Too often, pesticide violations are considered an acceptable “cost of doing business” by large industrial operations because the state’s current low fine threshold does not create a sense of urgency to change behavior or stop repeat violators.
Major Recent Pesticide Violations
2021: Oʻahu
In 2021, Monsanto/Bayer pled guilty to 30 environmental crimes related to the use of a pesticide on corn fields in Kunia in 2020. The crimes involved the use of Forfeit 280, a glufosinate ammonium-based product. After using the product in 2020 on corn fields on Oʻahu, Monsanto allowed workers to enter the fields during a six-day ‘restricted-entry interval’ after the product was applied.
2019: Westside of Kauaʻi
The State of Hawaiʻi’s Department of Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) was ruled to have polluted waters of West Kauaʻi without a permit since 2015 by a federal judge, violating a federal Clean Water Act. Glyphosate was one of 18 chemicals found by the Department of Health and U.S. Geological Survey. The waters drain into the Pacific Ocean near the popular recreation spots of Kekaha Beach and Barking Sands Beach.
2019: Maui and Molokaʻi
In November 2019, Monsanto/Bayer pled guilty and paid $10 million as part of a plea agreement with the United States Environmental Protection Agency for illegally using the banned pesticide Penncap-M on Maui and Molokaʻi. Exposure to this cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticide has been linked to impaired neurological development in the fetus and in infants, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Parkinson's disease.
2018: Kauaʻi
In 2018, a commercial pesticide applicator was fined $168,535 for misusing different restricted-use pesticides on Kauaʻi.
2016 and 2017: Westside of Kauaʻi
In 2016 and 2017, Syngenta failed to adhere to pesticide use instructions and improperly used the now-banned neurotoxin pesticide, chlorpyrifos. This dangerous pesticide caused health issues for exposed farmworkers. Although an investigation by the United States Environmental Protection Agency initially proposed a pesticide fine of $4.9 million, the fine was significantly reduced to just over $500,000.
Additional Resources
HCR25/HR23 - Supporting Food Hubs
What Does This Resolution Do?
Urges the Department of Education's school food services branch to adopt an addendum to its agreements for farm to school program, ‘Aina Pono. Requires the procurement of goods, services, or both from food hubs.
Why is This Important?
This bill will move public procurement dollars for the public good. Food hubs also provide markets for small farmers and food producers to sell their produce and food products. It can be challenging for small farmers and food producers to find retail outlets and markets for their goods. Food hubs level the playing field for smaller-scale producers by connecting them with customers who want to support local and sustainably grown food. Lastly, food hubs also aggregate produce and added value products and often provide delivery and pick-up options.
(See SB2218 above for additional talking points)
HCR92/HR86 - Support for Regenerative Solutions to Coffee Leaf Rust
What Does This Resolution Do?
Urges the Department of Agriculture to assist coffee farmers in purchasing organic fertilizer to prevent coffee leaf rust.
Why is This Important?
Tree health is a vital component in fighting the infestation and spread of coffee leaf rust. According to the Kona Coffee Farmers Association, the cost of fertilizer for the maintenance of coffee tree health is at least equal to the cost of fungicides used to control coffee leaf rust on organic farms. The state currently subsidizes the purchase of pesticides to treat coffee rust, but doesn’t provide organic solutions. Sustaining coffee tree health reduces reliance on pesticides and fungicides to mitigate the impact of coffee leaf rust.
What You Can Do
Please submit testimony for each of these bills via the Hawaiʻi State Capitol Portal.
Share this call to action on your social media channels and spread the word! There is more power in numbers.
Stay involved and continue to testify this legislative session!
Thank you for standing alongside us to fight for a more just Hawaiʻi.
Together, we can heal Hawaiʻi’s broken food system.
