Action Alert: Support Regenerative Agriculture & Food Producers
The House Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems has scheduled a hearing for bills to support regenerative agriculture practices and food hubs on Friday, March 7th at 10:30am in conference room 325. Submit testimony by today, March 6th.
Healthy soils are the foundation of a climate friendly, regenerative food system, but farmers need support in transitioning their practices. Additionally to support a more regenerative food system, smaller producers need access to markets. Food hubs can help connect producers to new markets providing local residents with access to healthy, local food. Supporting healthy soils and food hubs is an important step towards creating an environmentally just and localized food future for Hawaiʻi!
Support SB 552 SD1: Healthy Soils Program
What Does This Bill Do?
Requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a Healthy Soils Program. Requires an annual report to the Legislature. Will create a statewide soil health assessment with a list of practices specific to Hawaiʻi and that are most effective in improving soil health and building soil carbon stocks; provide farmers with education and technical assistance to implement farm management practices that contribute to healthy soils; establish standards that apply to the healthy soils program relating to minimum levels of soil carbon and water content and required soil health practices; and subject to available funding, issue awards and other financial incentives to implement farm management practices that contribute to healthy soils.
Why Is This Important? Sample Testimony:
Aloha Chair Kahaloa, Vice Chair Kusch and Members of the Committee,
Please support SB552 SD1. Healthy soils provide many environmental and economic benefits, by supporting healthy crops and a productive ag sector, capturing carbon/climate change mitigation, making plants more pest and climate impact resilient and less dependent on costly inputs.
We must provide farmers with education and technical assistance to implement farm management practices that contribute to healthy soils and issue awards and other financial incentives to implement farm management practices that contribute to healthy soils.
In recent decades we have learned a great deal about the importance of microbial life, soil biodiversity and the potential for our soil to capture carbon, aiding in mitigating climate change. The impacts heavy industrial practices have in depleting our local soil health for over a century, we must move away from the outdated practices of sterilizing lands with pesticides and herbicides and killing the soil microbes and life, and instead support the biodiversity of insects and microbes that are beneficial to soil health. Healthy soils support more pest and climate change resistant crops
SB552 SD1 can help to address a range of important issues we face related to degraded and damaged soils, restore and improve soil biodiversity, while also improving the overall quality of our environment and working to sequester carbon. SB552 SD1 is therefore not just important for our local food production agricultural sector but is good for our local environment.
Mahalo for your consideration!
Your Name, Town
Support SB 693 SD1: Food Hub Pilot Program
What Does This Bill Do?
Appropriates funds for the continued implementation of the Food Hub Pilot Program.
Why Is This Important? Sample Testimony:
Aloha Chair Kahaloa, Vice Chair Kusch and Members of the Committee,
Please support SB693 SD1. Support for the initial pilot food hubs program has been instrumental in helping emerging food hubs establish business operations in Hawaii. Food hubs provide necessary aggregation of produce for small farmers to help bring produce to market. Support for food hubs promotes the production of culturally appropriate, nutritious foods while also growing our local food economy. Further, more food hubs can provide greater food system equity, providing access to healthy food in local “food deserts”. Please support SB693 SD1.
Mahalo for your consideration!
Your Name, Town
Mahalo for taking action!
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.
Learn more information below about HAPA’s 2024 FSFS policy agenda 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!
Mahalo for taking action!
