Action Alert: Support Farm to School!
Two bills to support Hawaii’s farm to school efforts have been scheduled for a hearing this Wednesday, Feb. 7th at 9:30am in the House Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems. Agriculture education and access to locally sourced food in school meals are two key elements of Hawaii’s Farm to School goals. Please submit testimony in support!
House Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems (AGR)
Wednesday, February 7, 2024 at 9:30am Agriculture education and access to locally sourced food in school meals are two key elements of Hawaii’s Farm to School
Conference Room 325 & Videoconference
State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street
Written Testimony due Tuesday, February 6th
Support HB2083 - Farm to School
What Does This Bill Do?
Authorizes the Department of Education to establish a recognition program to incentivize schools to submit to the Department a plan for the school to reach the local farm to school meal goal of thirty percent of food served in the school to consist of locally sourced products by 2030. Requires public high schools under the Department of Education to provide plant-based meals as an option under the school meals program.
Why Is This Important? Sample Testimony:
Aloha Chair Gates, Vice Chair Kahaloa and Members of the Committee,
Please support HB 2083. Supporting locally sourced food in school meals benefits our local agricultural sector, while providing students with nutritious, culturally appropriate foods. Sadly, progress in Hawaiʻi’s goals of sourcing 30% locally grown/produced food in school meals by 2023 has lagged. This bill seeks to incentivize schools to take action to meet the goals of the Aloha+ Challenge.
Leveraging the power of public procurement to increase markets for Hawaii’s farmers and producers is one critical way Hawaiʻi can support local producers while decreasing dependency on imports.
Additionally, children will have greater access to more culturally appropriate and nutritious foods, such as kalo, sweet potatoes and others while becoming more connected to where their food comes from. Access to healthier foods will also support better learning outcomes.
Local food has a shorter time between harvest and your table, and it is less likely that the nutrient value has decreased. Food imported from far-away states and countries is often older, has traveled and sits in distribution centers before it gets to your store. This is exacerbated in places like Hawaiʻi, where our food is treated and shipped such long distances.
Closer proximity relationships with our food will in turn also reduce carbon emissions related to shipping and packaging waste associated with importation.
Please support this win-win for local food producers and students and pass HB 2083.
Mahalo for your consideration!
Your Name, Town
(You will need a Capitol website account)
Support HB2138 - Agriculture Education Coordinator Position
What Does This Bill Do?
Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaiʻi for the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to establish an agriculture education coordinator position.
Why Is This Important? Sample Testimony:
Aloha Chair Gates, Vice Chair Kahaloa and Members of the Committee,
Please support HB 2138 which would establish an agriculture education coordinator position. Given that Hawaiʻi’s farmer population is aging out, investing in agriculture education is one way to help to grow the next generation of farmers.
Agriculture education is one of the key elements identified in Hawaiʻi’s comprehensive farm to school efforts. One cause of the shortage of new farmers in Hawaiʻi during the past several decades has been the decline in support for agriculture education from state government, including training for agriculture teachers.
To meet the State's goals for increased food security and self-sufficiency, the number of local farms and farmers and the amount of food produced for local markets will need to increase significantly. Agriculture education is key to the development of future farmers and to a society that values and understands the vital role of agriculture and food systems to broader community well-being.
Please support HB 2138 to help grow Hawaiʻiʻs agricultural sector and bolster local food security. Mahalo for your consideration!
Your Name, Town
(You will need a Capitol website account)
View HAPA’s 2024 Fair & Sustainable Food Systems Policy Agenda
Join us this session in supporting a broad array of bills designed to support local farmers, food producers, increase local food production, address inequities in our food system such as food insecurity, and support regenerative and indigenous farming/food production practices.
See more information below about HAPA’s 2024 FSFS policy agenda below and take action in support of these Fair & Sustainable Food System policy priorities!
New to Legislative Engagement? Learn more about how to engage in the Legislative Session!
Make sure you have set up your account on the Hawaii State Legislature website. If you are new to the process, see this helpful page on legislative engagement 101 from the Public Access Room including a link on how to submit testimony!
About Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action
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The Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action (HAPA) is deeply committed to championing social, economic, and environmental justice throughout Hawaiʻi. Recognizing the interconnected nature of food systems, we underscore that the challenges plaguing these systems are not isolated from broader social, economic, and environmental concerns. We believe in an integrated approach that addresses these interdependencies to create a just, equitable, and sustainable future for Hawaiʻi.
Contact: info@hapahi.org | (808) 212-9616
