HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1127.013 2016-2018 06/03/2013 12:06 8083299729 WAKEFIELD AND SONS P/Cl
COMM. I l 27
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Dear County Council Members, Oct. 15, 2018
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My husband, Bill, and 1 have been farming in Kona for over 30 years, we strongly?
support Resolution 728, We derive all of our income from our farms and have w _
taken advantage of the NAP program in the past when we had extensive soil
erosion from flooding a few years ago, This assistance was very valuable to us
enabling us to replant ground cover that has prevented any further erosion, We
know first hand how this assistance helped us recover. With so many farmers
severely affected by the Kilauea Volcano eruption of May 2nd' , we feel that the
Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) can help these farmers get
back on their feet and continue their farming, but with the maximum cap of
$125,000, this would not be enough for many to restart, or rehabilitate their
orchards.
With our state and county encouraging food sustainability, it is extremely
important to keep these experienced farmers in farming. We can not afford to
lose them!
One area of farming, for example is the production of Sharwil avocado, With the
change in the USDA rules, we have been able to export our state's Sharwil to the
mainland northern tier states. This has brought up the price for avocados sold
locally and enabled farmers to make more of a profit, selling here and on the
mainland. We were receiving 80 cents/pound and now we are making
$1.40/pound. Many farmers are now starting and expanding their avocado
production. At least one of these larger farms was inundated by lava, and the
owners have relocated to the mainland, hoping to return and continue farming, if
they can afford it.
With the growth and potential growth of agriculture on our island right now, and
the sustainability movement, we can not afford to lose our experienced farmers.
PLEASE adopt Resolution 728, which would waive the NAP cap as this is
certainly a particularly dire situation, that has not only Impacted our island's
economy, but also the livelihood and lifestylye of our island community.
Withaloha,
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Bill and H. Brooks Wakefield
Ho'omalu Farm, Pea Nani Farm, Wakefield & Sons, Inc.
PO Box 1454, Kealakekua, Hawaii 96750
Comm. No
Ref. To: P otAnCII
Ref. Dote OCT 1. 7 2'018