Hawaii Needs Food Sustainability – First in Order is We Must Support our Farmers

Hawaii farmers deserve far more recognition for the work they do. Farming is one of the oldest and most important professions, but it’s an occupation that is unheralded. This needs to change because even before we begin to talk about supporting our farmers to help our state move closer to food security and food sustainability, we need to change our mindset to think that farming is critical to society. And farmers are just as heroic as others who provide “needs-based” work for our survival.

How so? It’s just as easy to import our food as we’ve been doing it for decades now, you might say.

The fact is Hawaii is food insecure and we’ve been fortunate not to have a full-blown crisis. The pandemic was a near food crisis that scared many isle residents. It wasn’t catastrophic. But it got many thinking that as an isolated set of islands, our dependence on imported food is grossly unbalanced.

Just think about these two facts: 1) 85-92% of Hawaii’s food is shipped into the state, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture; 2) at any given time, our state has about two weeks supply of fresh food. Clearly there is vulnerability.

During the pandemic and up until now, there is supply chain issues on the mainland impacting available inventory and spiking prices for practically all of Hawaii’s essentials. We have little control over our own food channels.

Our current food system of importing food has hurt us financially as well. Based on the Economic Policy Institute, Hawaii is paying the highest for food in the nation by a substantial amount.

A second food system: Locally grown food industry

It’s time that Hawaii prioritizes building a second food system to compliment the current imported system. That second food system is a strong industry of locally grown food. We’ve heard calls for building a local agricultural industry for decades. But it’s time that we be serious and act on it as if that food crisis could be happening in the next future pandemic or national emergency. We just don’t know when or what it could be. But we must be prepared.

Support our farmers

The basic building block to a healthy, vibrant and prosperous local food system is ensuring that we have enough farmers to produce the food we need.

The University of Hawaiʻi’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources conducted an interesting mental health survey. The survey found that 48% of farmers under the age of 45 years old experienced depression, and 14% struggled with suicidal thoughts. That’s nearly two times higher than the general population of Hawaiʻi, and 17% higher than the Centers for Disease Control’s 2021 report on public health workers.

In addition to the mental health aspect, what’s interesting about the study is it cites some of the causes leading to farmers depression. Here we can extract some of the support that farmers are actually needing.

Uncertainty, lack of control, financial stress, economic challenges, lack of support systems, lack of land access, problems with invasive species, and long hours and time management were some of the causes of depression for Hawaii farmers.

*SUPPORT EXTENSION AGENT PROGRAM. Specific to farmers lacking support, uncertainty and invasive spe-

From The Publisher

From our farming communities in the Philippines to the sakadas of Hawaii, Filipinos have had a long tradition and connection to agriculture. Even today amid our state’s push towards food security and food sustainability, we find that many in our community are at the forefront doing the hard and important work as farmers.

For our cover story this issue, associate editor Edwin Quinabo looks into the progress of farmers and the burgeoning new era of establishing a strong and vibrant local food system to complement our imported food system. Institutions like our schools, restaurants, hotels are all buying from local farmers and expanding their inventory to include more and consistent orders. We see new business enterprises growing as the local Ag industry grows, “food hubs” – which are both locations like farmers and open markets, but also enterprises aiding farmers with distribution and sales to get local goods to traditional commercial vendors. The encouraging news is that stats show small farming businesses are increasing. While there are positive trends, farming is still very challenging. The article also covers some areas that farmers can get help to endeavor some of these challenges. Government grants and private sector initiatives are some sources. Finally, members in our community express their support for farmers and the urgency to bolster a local food system. They also share their own personal connection, family connection to our pioneering farming-plantation history.

In this issue Lizette Nolasco contributes an article on young Filipino journalists Emily Cristobal, Alberto Respicio and Aubree Campbell who talk about the importance of Filipinos amplifying their voices and being a part of media.

In mainland news, read about Filipino American actor Van Ferro who won the 2022 Chicago BroadwayWorld Award for Best Supporting Performer in a Play for his critically-acclaimed performance as John N. Fail in Chicago-based Oil Lamp Theater’s “Failure: A Love Story.” Congratulations Van. We wish you continued success.

HFC columnist Emil Guillermo’s contributes “Biden Connects in Confident, Optimistic State of the Union Address.” HFC contributor Rose Churma does a book review on “Blessed Beyond Measure: The Untold Story of Rosa Farms.” We have a special historical piece written by Federico V. Magdalena, PhD, on Enrique De Mallaca who traveled with the famous explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Our Iloko writer Amado Yoro’s entry this time is “Melody Yadao Santiago: Mega Star of Ilocandia; Pride of Sinait.” We hope you enjoy these and our other columns and news.

Lastly, we’d like to remind our readers that for your convenience our newspaper is also online if you can’t get a hard copy. We also are on various social media. Filipino and civic organizations, be sure to send us your upcoming events for our calendar. Thank you for supporting the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle. Until next issue, Aloha and Mabuhay!

cies and financial stress, the University of Hawaii does support farmers and provides guidance to them in dealing with invasive species, new crops, new farming technology, ways to deal with climate change and teaching business skills, to name a few.

Farmers say they need more extension agents to help guide them. One extension agent at the University of Hawaii is the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (that conducted the mental health study). The College has undergone budgetary cutbacks and as a result lost 60 positions. That means less extension agents out in the field assisting farmers. We need to ensure that funding for extension programs and agents are secured.

Publisher & Executive Editor

Charlie Y. Sonido, M.D.

Publisher & Managing Editor

Chona A. Montesines-Sonido

Associate Editors

Edwin QuinaboDennis Galolo

Contributing Editor

Belinda Aquino, Ph.D.

Design

Junggoi Peralta

Photography

Tim Llena

Administrative Assistant

Lilia Capalad

Editorial & Production Assistant

Jim Bea Sampaga

Columnists

Carlota Hufana Ader

Elpidio R. Estioko

Perry Diaz

Emil Guillermo

Melissa Martin, Ph.D.

Seneca Moraleda-Puguan

J.P. Orias

Pacita Saludes

Reuben S. Seguritan, Esq.

Charlie Sonido, M.D.

Emmanuel S. Tipon, Esq.

Contributing Writers

Clement Bautista

Edna Bautista, Ed.D.

Teresita Bernales, Ed.D.

Sheryll Bonilla, Esq.

Rose Churma

Serafin Colmenares Jr., Ph.D.

Linda Dela Cruz

Carolyn Weygan-Hildebrand

Amelia Jacang, M.D.

Caroline Julian

Raymond Ll. Liongson, Ph.D.

Federico Magdalena, Ph.D.

Matthew Mettias

Maita Milallos

Paul Melvin Palalay, M.D.

Renelaine Bontol-Pfister

Seneca Moraleda-Puguan

Mark Lester Ranchez

Jay Valdez, Psy.D.

Glenn Wakai

Amado Yoro

Philippine Correspondent:

Greg Garcia

Neighbor Island Correspondents:

Big Island (Hilo and Kona)

Grace LarsonDitas Udani

Kauai

Millicent Wellington

Maui

Christine Sabado

Big Island Distributors

Grace LarsonDitas Udani

Kauai Distributors

Amylou Aguinaldo

Nestor Aguinaldo

Maui Distributors

Cecille PirosRey Piros

Molokai Distributor

Maria Watanabe

Oahu Distributors

Yoshimasa Kaneko

Pamela Gonsalves

Shalimar / Jonathan Pagulayan

Advertising / Marketing Director

Chona A. Montesines-Sonido

Account Executives

Carlota Hufana Ader

JP Orias