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<br /> <br />190 Chair Kurokawa noted that part of the problem is trying to return to a more sustainable and <br />191 regenerative type of agriculture from the large industrial scale that it had become over the <br />192 years. He question ed if HFA had a plan to get or diversify a smaller scale of sustainable <br />193 agriculture to work into a larger more efficient system to achieve an economy of scale . <br />194 Mr. Buck noted that there are over 7,300 small farmers in the state of Hawai ʻ i and each is <br />195 doing their work to make a living, but many do not have that final piece to get to market or <br />196 have the food safety that is required. He hoped that a h ui system amongst smaller farms <br />197 would allow them to work together to create those efficiencies. <br />198 Committee Member Nishimoto shared that he was a coastal biologist. He was very <br />199 interested in the Symbrosia seaweed that was brought up during the presentation and asked <br />200 that HFA continue to elevate the concept of Mauka Makai moving forward as what you do on <br />201 land affects the ocean. <br />202 Committee Member Kua questioned how they would process their value added products. <br />203 Mr. Buck informed that the processing for 200 cattle does not require use of all the <br />204 equipment space currently on the farm . He shared that the facility there already meets food <br />205 safety requirements and that they were working on getting the equipm ent to produce the <br />206 value - added products. <br />207 Mr. Buck shared how his personal background inspired the work that they do. He shared that <br />208 he saw the high rates of food insecurity in the State . It resonated with him that somet hing <br />209 was wrong and he felt that he needed to work to create a positive impact. He shared that he <br />210 was grateful for his previous life e xperiences because they inspired him to pursue the ir work . <br />211 3. Implementation Updates from Action Committee Members: <br />212 a. Public Access & Trails : Council Member Kimball shared that she met with Vice - Chair <br />213 McKnight , Committee Member Keeney , and Deborah Chang from the Public Open Space <br />214 Commission (PONC) , to discuss the trails. She provided an update that they were at the <br />215 point where they planned to reach out to Kamehameha Schools to see if they would be <br />216 able to get permission to utilize some of their properties as part of the trail network. She <br />217 expressed her excitement about the Hawai ʻ i Farm Trails project as she s aw an <br />218 opportunity for intersection there. <br />219 Committee Member Keeney share d that the owner of the property that the old Pa ʻauhau <br />220 M ill was on said that she would be willing to sell the property to the commission. He <br />221 informed that he visited the president of the Pa ʻauhau Community A ssociation , who said <br />222 he would support creating an acce s s down to that area, but would not want the Pa ʻauhau <br />223 road to be used for that access. Committee Member Keeney would like to discuss other <br />224 access options with Council Member Kimball. <br />225 Council Member Kimbal l informed that she scheduled a t e ntative mee t ing with the <br />226 Department of Land and Natural Resources ( DLNR ) to look at maps of existing trails that <br />227 they have jurisdiction over. They would start the process to see where access could be <br />228 opened to the public and connect th e trails along the coast. <br />www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/ CDP@hawaiicounty.gov Page 6 <br /> <br />