Laserfiche WebLink
GoFarm Hawaii is actively working to address some of these common barriers as follows: <br />• Access to Land: We provide affordable land access through our Aglncubator program <br />and collaborate with private landholders, including partnerships like the Hawaii Food <br />Basket's Ho`olako project, to expand post -incubation land opportunities for graduates. <br />• Startup Capital: We offer a matching grant fund exclusively for GoFarm graduates to <br />help them invest in infrastructure, equipment, and startup costs. <br />• Financial Return & Business Viability: We provide: <br />o One-on-one financial coaching with our AgBusiness team <br />o Ongoing business education workshops <br />o Financial decision -making tools and enterprise models tailored to HawaiTs <br />agricultural context <br />o We leverage our placement in UH CTAHR to connect our graduates with applicable <br />Extension Agents and our broader network of community partners to provide <br />complimentary support <br />These efforts are designed to reduce entry barriers and help graduates make informed, <br />sustainable decisions as they build and grow their farm operations. <br />Local Food Sales <br />Of the graduates currently farming: <br />• 79% are engaged in commercial production, selling through farmers' markets, CSAs, <br />food hubs, grocers, and restaurants —all within Hawaii. <br />• The remaining 21 % produce food primarily to feed their household and immediate <br />community, reflecting our support for both commercial and subsistence producers. <br />Graduate Spotlight: Scaling Success on Hawaii Island <br />Leanne and Dan Mahalak of Kaiwiki Food Forest (Hilo) exemplify graduate success. After <br />joining the AgXcel program in 2021 and participating in the Aglncubator phase, they transitioned <br />from operating a'/a-acre incubator plot to developing their 5-acre home farm. Today, they <br />combine regenerative agroforestry and market gardening, sell to local aggregators, and have <br />launched value-added products like shiso extract and comfrey salve. A $25,000 <br />GoFarm/American AgCredit grant supported their transition and infrastructure development. <br />We hope this information helps demonstrate the impact and outcomes of the GoFarm Hawaii <br />program. We also invite you to review our 2024 Annual report. Please let us know if further data <br />or clarification would be helpful. <br />Mahalo for your time and consideration. <br />Sincerel <br />Janel'Yamamoto <br />Director <br />GoFarm Hawaii <br />w.00farmhawaii.or <br />ianelnovCa7hawaii.edu <br />In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture civil rights regulations and policies, University <br />of Hawaii at Manoa Cooperative Extension is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national <br />origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. <br />