Now that a pandemic has halted tourism, we see the folly of overreliance on the visitor industry. Our existing agricultural system is NOT providing enough locally grown food. There are many reasons for that, but the bottom line is this: if imports stop, we will be out of food in just a matter of days. 

Itʻs a dire situation, and we need to remedy it as soon as possible. The Maui County Council recently approved a proposed charter amendment “to establish a Department of Agriculture to develop a sustainable regional agricultural system for Maui County, ”which will appear on our General Election ballots in November. We believe this new County of Maui Department of Agriculture has real potential to remove barriers for Maui County’s farmers, advocate for them, and empower them to strengthen our economy and better feed our communities.

Why we support:

• The County of Maui Department of Agriculture will be a facilitator to help farmers access the programs that are out there. Farmers donʻt have time to be filling out paperwork to apply for grants or file grant reports when their crops need attention. The County could help make this easy for farmers so they can farm.
• The high cost of agricultural land is a barrier to profitable farming. This is directly related to a lack of enforcement. Farmers cannot pay high prices for land and expect to make a profit growing food crops. If all you can do on ag land is farm, it will be less attractive for gentlemenʻs estates, and the price will come down. A Dept. of Agriculture will help ensure that farmers can afford to farm.
• According to the amendment language, the County of Maui Department of Agriculture’s “primary purpose” is “to provide advocacy and not create additional regulatory barriers.” This new department will lift burdens on farmers rather than creating them.

Supporting local farming and food production is a win-win: it will support an increase in local jobs, and with an increase in farmers providing local food for residents, our hard-earned money will stay in Maui Countyʻs economy–an economy that currently depends too heavily on outside interests. Further, due to our low population density in Maui County, we have a real shot at growing enough food to feed ourselves locally, but the current system isn’t making that happen. 

We need a Department of Agriculture that will be an advocate for the people who actually grow food to feed Maui County families. The Maui County Council, through its approval authority, can make sure that any director who is confirmed is going to concentrate on helping farmers to do what they do best.