LIHU‘E — The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) is seeking public comments as it determines priorities for the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI), a federal program aimed at creating resilient food supply chains across the United States.
The program, initiated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will provide approximately $3.2 million for Hawai‘i to strengthen the middle of its food supply chains. This encompasses processing, manufacturing, storing and transporting food items — particularly critical steps for perishable goods.
“When you have equipment like, let’s say refrigeration, it would extend the shelf life of your product, especially the leafy greens and fruits,” said HDOA administrator Matthew Loke. “And then if it’s packaged properly, that could also extend the shelf life further, or it could make it more appealing — and when consumers perceive it as more appealing, it could mean a higher price for the farmer. So, it would enhance value for local agriculture.”
In turn, Loke argued, these investments can bolster both Hawai‘i’s agricultural sector and the state economy at large.
“When we have more processors and more aggregators and distributors, that means that our local economy will be hiring more people,” he said. “And the more people we hire, that means more income … It can help the state and county economies — the money stays locally.”
On top of economic benefits, Loke stressed the logistical upside of building a more resilient in-state supply chain. For Hawai‘i in particular, the hurricane season — running from June 1 to Nov. 30 — creates a greater need for stronger food systems infrastructure.
“That’s almost half a year,” he said. “So when you have this risk of a natural disaster, I think it’s better to equip your home turf with some resiliency in food. We rely a lot on food from the outside, but it’s also important to maintain some resiliency so we can feed our people when the need arises.”
As part of the agreement between the state and federal agricultural departments, HDOA is required to conduct outreach to stakeholders before submitting its application for funds.
“We don’t want to leave any stones unturned,” Loke said. “When the program was initiated and put into action, I’m sure some of the planners had certain insights in mind. But Hawai‘i is also quite different from the rest of the country, so there may be thoughts and ideas that the original planners did not take into account.”
The department will hold a public listening session on Aug. 2, at 5 p.m., at HDOA Plant Quarantine Branch Conference Room in Honolulu. For those who cannot attend in-person, virtual attendance is available on Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81948307291.
Additionally, interested parties may submit comments via email to hdoa.rfsi@hawaii.gov until 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 11. The input received will be reviewed and utilized to determine Hawai‘i’s priorities, and will also be submitted to the USDA for further review.
For a full description of program objectives and projects, visit the USDA RFSI program factsheet at https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/RFSIFactSheet.pdf.
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Jackson Healy, reporter, can be reached at 808-647-4966 or jhealy@thegardenisland.com.
