Issue Position: Agriculture

Issue Position

Invest in water, electrical and transportation infrastructure to increase productivity and accessibility to markets

Ensure agricultural lands are protected for agricultural use to produce food for local people.

Increase access for farmers to processing and distribution facilities.

Reduce thefts and burglaries on agriculture lands.

Expand business training for local farmers.

Hawai"i was at one time a completely self-sustaining chain of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. We now produce only about 10% of our own food. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted an overdependence on food imports, now is the time to renvision and rebuild agricultural infrastructure so that we can become more self-sustaining. Born into a fourth generation farming family in Wahiawa who established Petersons' Upland Farm in 1910, I uniquely understand the difficulties facing agriculture in Hawai"i today. A frightening statistic is that the average age of Hawai"i farmers is 60 years old. We need to educate and inspire our younger generations to embrace the farming lifestyle. Our district has some of the best prime agricultural lands left on Oahu, however, there are so few farmers because much of the land is lacking water and electric infrastructure needed to successfully grow crops. Building out water, electricity, and transportation infrastructure will greatly help increase Hawaii"s agricultural output and make it more attractive for farmers who can't afford such investments on their own.

Additionally, Hawai"i has a unique opportunity to be successful in agricultural tourism. We are the only place in the United States that can grow cacao. We have the potential to be the Napa Valley of chocolate. We need to encourage our local farmers to begin to invest in value added products to help them raise their bottom line. The State must also take a firmer stance on protecting farmers from theft of products, machinery, and personal items.

As your state legislator I fight to keep our agricultural lands zoned for their intended use, provide tax incentives for local farmers, continue to educate the public on the importance of buying local, and encourage educational programs in our schools such as Future Farmers of America.

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