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Steering Committee Review of Community Input, September 2016 Review Document 3 of 4 <br />negatively impacting small-scale beekeepers from pursuing an important entrepreneurial <br />agricultural endeavor in the Planning Area. <br />20. Revise Community Action 44: <br />Strengthen toe local agriculture value ehain through the following: <br />■ Develop a marketing brand for Hamakua products (Assist in the promotion of products <br />produced in Hamakua (GP 2.3(t)). <br />■ Support Farm to School/Farm to Table Programs, CSAs, and other local farm -to - <br />consumer initiatives; <br />■ Support and develop celebratory events that support agriculture (e.g., festivals, rodeos, <br />parades, community gathering events at farmers' markets, etc.). <br />■ Work to effectively manage or eradicate invasive species that impact agricultural <br />production. <br />■ "Develop agricultural cooperatives to facilitate farming collaborations, cost- and <br />resource -sharing opportunities, provide a mechanism for marketing assistance and <br />educational opportunities, and coordinate with County and State Agricultural specialists. <br />Rationale: This action was added due to community feedback that demonstrated a gap in <br />outreach regarding existing resources for farmers at the County and State level, and <br />research about the lack of farming networks in the Hamakua Planning Area. <br />Pursue the development of incubator communitv kitchens for the production of value- <br />added aericultural products. <br />Rationale: This addition is in response to multiple community comments expressing <br />frustration with the lack of available community (aka: commercial or incubator) kitchens <br />for small food producers in the Planning Area. Reference: Hawai'i County Economic <br />Opportunity Council as a potential partner for incubator kitchen development and/or <br />management in the Community Action Guide. Note: the Community Action Guide is a <br />supplemental document and is not part of the adopted CDP. <br />21. New Community Action: <br />"To better address issues relatine to the Lower Hamakua Ditch: form a cooperative <br />community group (for example, a "Friends of the Lower Hamakua Ditch" group) composed of <br />adjacent landowners to the ditch and other affected parties to advocate to and collaborate <br />with the Department of Agriculture in developing a cooperative management plan that would <br />seek to resolve issues relating to water quality, water efficiency, ditch maintenance, and to <br />assess ditch trail access opportunities." <br />Rationale: This addition is in response to community interest in resolving the maintenance, <br />water quality, and ditch improvement controversy. Note: the Lower Hamakua Ditch is owned <br />and managed by the Department of Agriculture. The County of Hawaii does not have <br />jurisdiction in this area. <br />HAMAKUA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN (CDP) I Revision Doc. #3 <br />