TRADE FOOD! Visit http://kauaiabundance.com/ to give or trade fruits and vegetables.

Although Hawai'i has the perfect climate for growing a wide variety of crops, we currently import around 80% of our food. Amazingly, if we were cut off from the rest of the world tomorrow, we would only have enough food to last us a week. Good agricultural land is available, and perhaps only 10,000 acres are needed to grow all of the perishables Hawai'i needs. Unfortunately, the high cost of land, tax laws and leasing difficulties, access to water, and a shortage of labor keeps most farmers from being able to make a living. You simply cannot grow lettuce on land that costs $100,000 an acre! Both grassroots projects and government involvement are needed to assist us in becoming more food self-sufficient.

The Agriculture Land Issue
In 1978, Hawai’i lawmakers passed a constitutional amendment to designate “lands of importance.” The intention of the amendment was to identify lands that are essential for meeting the needs of the people, such as important agricultural lands. For almost thirty years, no action was taken on the amendment. Only in 2005 did legislatures finally pass Act 183 that laid out some of the rules of designation. It is up to the county to designate these lands, but a plan to do so has not yet been finalized. Two issues are of top concern in this process: 1) How is “important” land identified; and 2) What kinds of regulations and management will pertain to these lands? It is important that the public participate in this process, as many decisions that are very critical to our island’s future will be made. For example, if ag lands are not identified as “important,” they may get rezoned to rural, opening them up to more development. For Kauaians that are worried about overdevelopment and food security, Act 183 is critical to follow.

Farmer's Markets
Monday, 12:00, Koloa Ball Park
Tuesday, 2:00, Waipa
Tuesday, 3:30, Kalaheo Neighborhood Center
Wednesday, 3:00, Kapa'a Armery Ballpark
Thrusday, 4:30, Kilauea Neighborhood Center
Friday, 3:00, Vadihna Stadium (Lihue)
Saturday, 9:30, Hanalei Community Center
Saturday, 9:00, Kekaha Neighborhood Center
Saturday, 11:30, Kilauea Post Office

Opportunities

• If you are a farmer who needs a co-op distribution outlet or if you would like to join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) co-op, e-mail mamajgrowsyahoo.com">mamajgrowsyahoo.com.
• The Farm Incubator Project, which trains people to grow food sustainably for their own community, is now accepting applications for their upcoming program in January. Please e-mail Jillian at mamajgrowsyahoo.com">mamajgrowsyahoo.com for more information on this terrific opportunity.

Spotlight on Grassroots Efforts
Waipa Foundation
Steelgrass
GMO Free Kaua'i
Hawai'i Seed