HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0279.077 2022-2024 P t Council
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COURT i 1.1 ' Of HAWAII COMM.27q
JUN —5 Pit 2: Li 5 Odysseus Yacalis
President of East Hawai'i Chapter
j Hawai'i Farmers Union United
` phoenixvision@gmail.com
Hawaii Farmers Union United +1 (808) 313-0270
EAST HRWRII CHRPTER PO Box 116, Honomu, HI 96728
Aloha
As the current president of the East Hawaii chapter of HFUU (Hawaii Farmers Union United),
representing 140 small farm owners from Hilo to Honakaa and the current representative of the
Puna chapter representing another 60 farmers, I strongly endorse the current proposal to
establish an Office of Resiliency, Sustainability, Equity and Climate.
This office represents a critical and essential step to secure the future for generations of our
community. Regenerative Agriculture represents the nexus of solutions, for resiliency, climate
change and sustainability. Currently, the Big Island imports more than 90 percent of the food we
consume. This is quite clearly unsustainable and not resilient. Without a major shift in current Ag
practices and output, the island is extremely vulnerable to the exponential, unprecedented shifts
in global food production, shifting supply chain challenges and the littany of connected climate
change consequences.
This office has the potential to enact a solid, structured vision and to enact a plan that can
secure food security and food sovereignty, the very backbones of a resilient, sustainable
community and at the same time implement the only workable solution to reversing climate
change and protecting our water and soil resources: regenerative agriculture.
Without a centralized vision and a plan to support and empower our current Ag workers and a
plan to train and nurture the next generation of farmers, the island is increasingly vulnerable and
in iniment danger.
With this office, we take an epic step forward towards securing our children's future. This is the
kind of legacy move that shines light on both the path forward and on our ancestors in its
strong-hearted, clear-minded intent.
It is right, it is pono and it is crucial. It must be created and empowered, now.
In gratitude and aloha, Odysseus
Comm. No.
Ref. To: P 0411
Ref. Dote JUN - 7 7.023