Home Grown

Maui's farmers face a host of challenges. Here's what some are doing to survive--and why we all need to help.

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These issues combine to make local products more costly than mainland imports, especially considering the economy of scale enjoyed by mainland farms with thousands of acres. Maui farmers also face competition within the state from a couple of big O‘ahu farms that don’t have to ship their cabbage and onions by boat or plane to reach customers in Honolulu. “It all comes down to costs,” says Keyser. “We are part of a global economy. We can grow about anything—but competitively? No.”  And, as the demise of the Kula potato shows, consumers persistently choose the less expensive product.

“The biggest thing is reeducating the consumer that food and transportation [are] expensive,” says Lani Medina Weigert, co-owner of Ali‘i Kula Lavender and president of the Hawai‘i AgriTourism Association.

The answer for those who really want to farm? “You’ve got to be nimble,” says Keyser. “Innovation is key now,” adds Weigert. And Maui has both individual farmers and organizations that are quick on their feet, looking for opportunities and trying new ideas to support current operations and encourage new ones.

haleakala ranch sheep
Haleakala Ranch Manager Greg Friel. The ranch uses sheep and goats to graze invasive weeds.

The Farm Bureau, for one, is pushing the idea of consumer support for local agriculture. For buyers, this means being willing to pay a little more for local produce as well as urging lawmakers to adopt measures like the bills introduced into the current legislative session improving “procurement preferences.” These preferences would give Hawai‘i products a head start when selling to state-run institutions such as schools and hospitals, providing farmers with large, steady markets.

The Farm Bureau, Maui Community College and the Maui Economic Development Board all are working to increase interest in farming among the young. From field trips for second graders (many of whom have never seen a farm before), to agricultural awareness days for high schoolers, to workshops that educate teachers about agriculture, the goal is to raise awareness of agriculture as a career path. “It’s not just hoeing weeds,” says Ann Emmsley, associate professor of agriculture at MCC. “It’s an applied biological science, along with the business. You need a lot of skills.”

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