HFUU Supported Legislative Action: HB 2105

The House Energy & Environmental Protection committee has scheduled a hearing for Friday, February 16 at 2 p.m. on the following bill: HB2105 HD1 – Relating to Agriculture Appropriates funds to the Department of Agriculture for the establishment and administration of the Agriculture Grant Program to support local food production in the State. HB 2105, HD1…

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Testimony in Support of HB2102 (Nutrient Cycling) before House Ag Committee

TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF HB2102 (NUTRIENT CYCLING) BEFORE THE HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE Hearing Date: February 14, 2018, 9:00AM Aloha Chairman Creagan, Vice Chair DeCoite and Members of the House Committee on Agriculture. The Hawaii Farmers Union United (“HFUU”) appreciates the opportunity to testify in support of HB2102 to fund a pilot project to recycle local…

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HFUU Supported Legislative Action: HB 2301

The House Energy & Environmental Protection committee has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday, February 13 at 8:30 a.m. on the following bill: RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION. Restructures the Hawaii Invasive Species Council as the Hawaii Invasive Species Authority, administratively attached to the Department of Agriculture, to coordinate implementation of the Hawaii Interagency Biosecurity…

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2017 Census of Agriculture gets underway

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service has started mailing the 2017 Census of Agriculture to our nation’s producers. Mailing in phases, all census questionnaires should be received by late December. The deadline to respond is February 5, 2018. Producers can respond online at www.agcensus.usda.gov (take advantage of new time-saving features and the convenience of being accessible…

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Hawai‘i’s Food System: Food for All

Executive Summary: This report examines the food system of Hawai’i with special attention to low-income access to food. To do so, we examine the conditions under which low-income people currently obtain food. Then we examine the history of agriculture. Next we profile several promising food initiatives. Finally, we make recommendations for strengthening community-based food systems…

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President’s Report, 2017 NFU Summer Meeting

HFUU President Report Summer Meeting, July 9-13, 2017 National Farmers Union Board of Directors The 2017 summer meeting was held in Jamestown, North Dakota, a first in this neck of the woods for me. North Dakota Farmers Union has an impressive home base in Jamestown with one acre under roof and their offices and insurance…

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14 Graduate from HFUF-HFUU Farm Apprentice Mentoring (FAM) Program

Congratulations go out to the fourteen apprentices (see list below with their visions) in the Farm Apprentice Mentoring (FAM) Program who graduated from Phase 1 of HFUU’s farmer training program Thursday, June 29th,  at UH-Maui College. Equipped with over 250 hours of course work and on farm demonstrations in regenerative agricultural practices,  FAM this year had 10 farm mentors, who…

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HI Ag Conference, AG2017, Seeking Presenters

The 2017 Ag Conference call for proposals was extended to April 17. Review the call for proposal here.  Application is at the bottom of the page:  http://www.hiagconference.org/submit-proposal.html The Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawai‘i (ALFH) will host the Hawai‘i Agriculture Conference, AG2017, on August 29-30, 2017 at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. The Hawai‘i AG2017 Organizing Committee…

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Haleakala Chapter President’s Report for March 2017

Aloha mai Kākou, Mahalo to everyone on this mailing list for supporting the ongoing efforts of the HFUU Haleakalā Chapter to create and sustain vibrant and prosperous agriculture community.  Mahalo especially to our tireless volunteers without whom our chapter would not function.  These people organize the meeting, find sponsors, cook food, prepare presentations clean up…

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A Pilgrimage for On Farm Mentoring

On Tuesday, February 24th at the pre-crack of dawn three FAM apprentices, Georgia Pinsky, Rayden (Ola) Kekona and Deneane Hanby along with FAM mentor, Bobby Pahia, HFUF President, Simon Russell, and FAM Program Director, Phyllis Robinson took the first flight from Maui bound for the state capitol. Our mission:  To meet with elected Senators and…

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