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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0208.002 2024-2026C. Kimo Alameda, Ph.D. Mayor County of Hawaii DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 25 Aupuni Street, Room 1301 . Hilo, Hawai'i 96720-4252 (808) 961-8366 9 Fax (808) 935-1205 E-mail: chresdev@co.hawaii.hi.us April 25, 2025 Via email to councilreferrals@hawaiicounty.gov laura.murashige@hawaiicounty.gov Dear Councilmembers: Re: GoFarm Hawaii Program Aloha Councilmembers, Benson Medina Director Dennis Lin Deputy Director Per the Government Operations and External Affairs Committee hearing on April 15, 2025, there was a request for additional information regarding the GoFarm Hawaii program that the Department of Research and Development recently awarded an Impact Grant to. Please find attached to this email a copy of the requested information as well as the link to GoFarm Hawaii's annual report. https://gofannhawaii.org/gofann-hawai%ca%bbi- annual-report/. 3enRespectfully, Respectfully, Li DEPUTY DIRECTOR CC: Benson Medina, Director Joelle Hew Len Lee, Private Secretary Glenn Sako, Economic Development Specialist Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer UNIVERSITY of HAWAITat MANOA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION COLLEGE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN RESILIENCE April 22, 2025 Hawaii County Research and Development 25 Aupuni St., Room 1301 Hilo, HI 96720 Aloha Government Operations and External Affairs Committee, Mahalo for the opportunity to share additional data on the outcomes and long-term impact of GoFarm Hawaii (GFH), a statewide beginning farmer training and business technical assistance program of University of Hawai`i's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience Cooperative Extension. We appreciate the Committee's consideration and are pleased to provide the requested information. Program Reach and Graduate Success Since our training program started in 2012, GFH has graduated 608 individuals from our beginning farmer training program. Of the graduates in the last 5 years: • 80% of graduates went on to farm —either on GFH Aglncubator land or at independent locations. • On Hawaii Island alone, we have produced 65 graduates since 2020, with 83% actively working in the agriculture sector. Current Farming Activity and Upscaling In our 2024 bi-annual GoFarm alumni survey, which had a 37% response rate for AgXcel graduates (76 respondents), we found: • 71% of AgXcel graduates are still actively involved in farming —either managing their own operations or working for others. • Many report having scaled up their production, expanded their market channels, or diversified their offerings over time. Barriers Faced by Those Not Involved in Farming Alumni who are not currently farming cited the following barriers (multiple responses allowed): • Lack of time due to primary occupation — 90% • Lack of startup capital — 50% • Access to land — 40% • Financial return (not enough income) — 30% • Health — 20% • Family obligations —10% • Lack of access to health insurance —10% COOPERATIVE EXTENSION — GOFARM HAWAI°I St. John #503, 3190 Maile Way I Honolulu, HI 96822 Ph: (808) 956-3530 1 info@gofarmhawaii.org I www.gofarmhawaii.org An Equal Opportunity Institution GoFarm Hawaii is actively working to address some of these common barriers as follows: • Access to Land: We provide affordable land access through our Aglncubator program and collaborate with private landholders, including partnerships like the Hawaii Food Basket's Ho`olako project, to expand post -incubation land opportunities for graduates. • Startup Capital: We offer a matching grant fund exclusively for GoFarm graduates to help them invest in infrastructure, equipment, and startup costs. • Financial Return & Business Viability: We provide: o One-on-one financial coaching with our AgBusiness team o Ongoing business education workshops o Financial decision -making tools and enterprise models tailored to HawaiTs agricultural context o We leverage our placement in UH CTAHR to connect our graduates with applicable Extension Agents and our broader network of community partners to provide complimentary support These efforts are designed to reduce entry barriers and help graduates make informed, sustainable decisions as they build and grow their farm operations. Local Food Sales Of the graduates currently farming: • 79% are engaged in commercial production, selling through farmers' markets, CSAs, food hubs, grocers, and restaurants —all within Hawaii. • The remaining 21 % produce food primarily to feed their household and immediate community, reflecting our support for both commercial and subsistence producers. Graduate Spotlight: Scaling Success on Hawaii Island Leanne and Dan Mahalak of Kaiwiki Food Forest (Hilo) exemplify graduate success. After joining the AgXcel program in 2021 and participating in the Aglncubator phase, they transitioned from operating a'/a-acre incubator plot to developing their 5-acre home farm. Today, they combine regenerative agroforestry and market gardening, sell to local aggregators, and have launched value-added products like shiso extract and comfrey salve. A $25,000 GoFarm/American AgCredit grant supported their transition and infrastructure development. We hope this information helps demonstrate the impact and outcomes of the GoFarm Hawaii program. We also invite you to review our 2024 Annual report. Please let us know if further data or clarification would be helpful. Mahalo for your time and consideration. Sincerel Janel'Yamamoto Director GoFarm Hawaii w.00farmhawaii.or ianelnovCa7hawaii.edu In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture civil rights regulations and policies, University of Hawaii at Manoa Cooperative Extension is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.