Why Invest in local Agriculture ?

Because every dollar spent at a locally owned business generates two-to-four times the economic development impacts of a dollar spent on an equivalent non-local business. – Forbes.com

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ashoka/2013/04/03/investing-in-local-food-businesses-for-community-health-and-wealth/

Agroecology (regenerative agriculture) presents

an opportunityBecause it:

• Enhances agricultural systems by mimicking natural processes, thus creating beneficial biological interactions and synergies among the components of the agroecosystem.

• Provides the most favorable soil conditions for plant growth, particularly by managing organic matter and by raising soil biotic activity.

• Recycles nutrients and energy on the farm, rather than introducing external inputs; integrating crops and livestock; diversifying species and genetic resources in agroecosystems over time and space; and focusing on interactions and productivity across the agricultural system, rather than focusing on individual species.

HFUU Legislative Agenda for 2014

• Grow farmers with on-farm mentoring centers• Lower cost of food production state-wide• Maximize use of locally available resources with Nutrient

Recycling Centers strategically placed state-wide• Lower the cost of agricultural land for farmers• Increase diversity of food distribution networks through

“Food Hubs & Coops” & remove liability from farmers• Relieve farmers from burdensome bureaucratic

paperwork (HB 1786) by subsidizing farm inspections and on the job training

• Protect the integrity of our products from abusive blending of origin products (ie. Kona coffee)

Whole systems legislation for an Agroecological solution

On Farm Mentoring Centers :A way to grow our farmer work force

because it:1. Brings school to the farm to allow people in remote areas a chance to learn new ways to increase productivity and lower cost of production using locally available inputs.

2. Allows those not academically inclined a familiar atmosphere to learn in.

Lowering cost of production - What about those locally produced, low cost

inputs ?

Strategically Placed Nutrients Recycling Centers will

1. Help farmers decrease their nitrogen needs by up to 75% / acre using cheap compost

2. Increase many yields to levels comparable and sometimes above conventional levels

3. Centralize any health hazards regarding their production

4. Be an inexpensive way to enhance soil health on a large scale, because it uses inputs generated locally ie. Green waste, manure, food services waste, IMO’s and slaughter offal.

Getting farmers on the landBy lowering the cost of land !

Farmland cooperatives will :

1. Be regulated by a private non-profit corporation that enforces thresholds of production (50% or more of annual income) & enforcement of violations.

2. Enable farmers to build equity in their property towards their retirement

3. Ban real estate speculation, ie. You can sell it for what you paid for it.

4. Give farmers pride of ownership and financial security.

Farm & Food Hubs:Lowering cost of distribution

• Food transportation cost will be minimized to some extent

• Producer has a one-stop-drop

• The end-user has a one-stop-shop

• The Food Hub assumes liability for the food distribution

Good Agricultural Practices(HB 1786) 2012

amendments kindly accepted

Establishing GAP guidelines statewide is good because:1. Famers will need to comply with FSMA2. Farmers need help in compliance with those new regulations

Therefore, in addition to re-introducing HB 1786:

We also ask for financial assistance and other types of assistance for small farmers unaccustomed to dealing with bureaucracy

OriGIn Labeling is important because:

1. Product blending leads to a disincentive to produce

local, because is more profitable mix 90% imports with local product and sell it as “Hawaii grown”. Due to our high fixed costs here

2. Consumers want something they buy here to be grown here, and would like to know what to buy

Example: Hawaiian Sea Salt is a company name, and most of the salt comes from the pacific region

The Future of Agriculture