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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0021.028 2018-2020 NOM COMM. 2( OO J TY CLERK COUNTY OF HAWAII From: David Webb To: Council Testimony 9 JAN -7 A 8: 146 Cc: Ievy.s.magcalasCalgmail.com; Robert Huelskamp;Lisa Roach;Ingrid e b Subject: In Support of Communication 21 Date: Saturday,January 05,2019 11:21:31 PM January 5, 2019 Aloha County Council Members, Our farm, Sunny Kapoho Citrus, has been in operation for over 10 years, producing over $50,000/year of organic navel oranges and other fruit, for delivery to retail outlets on Hawaii Island, Oahu, and Maui. We need to be able to get back to our farm as soon as possible to prevent further deterioration of the orchards due to weeds and pests, and to resume operations prior to the next harvest season which is September 2019 through February 2020 for the main crops. Our farming operation is beneficial to the entire community and state because it produces food that would otherwise be imported from overseas. Our citrus is of the highest quality (according to all our customers) and this is due to the perfect growing conditions in the area: a lot of sunshine, regular rainfall, and well-drained soil conditions. The isolated portion of Highway 132 also has the same microclimate so it is the best location in east Hawaii for many of these crops and well worth the effort to restore farmers' access to it. It is an understatement to say the cost versus benefit of restoring farmers' access to this portion of Highway 132 is firmly in support of restoring that access. Our farm was producing its main crops on only about half of its 15 acres so we have the-.potential to double our output. Our two neighboring farmers, Rob Huelskamp and Liberato Magcalas, though affected by the lava, can still produce $40,000/year of top quality avocados and $30,000/year of noni, repectively, when access is restored. Liberato Magcalas, the noni farmer, is also using only about half of his available acreage so all together we can produce $50k+40k+30k/year with potential increase to $100k+$40k+60k/year. This is a total of between $120k and $200k per year of agricultural production which is just waiting for us three farmers to get back to work. Over 10 years this adds up to between one and two million dollars of produce added to Hawaii's economy, in a sector of that economy (agriculture) that is supposed to be fully supported by the government. We want to go home and we want to get back to work! Please allocate the necessary funds to enable residents and farmers to access the isolated portion of Highway 132. Sincerely, Comm. No.I Ref. To: PE% Ref. Date JAN 0 7 2019 `411IRVI David L. & Natividad M. Webb Sunny Kapoho Citrus LLC, TMK 1-4-013-003-0000 (808) 854-15-00, davidwebb51@yahoo.com Rob & Diane Huelskamp Kapoho Farms„ TMK's 1-4-013-004-0000,1-4-013-005-0000, and 1-4- 013-006-0000 (808) 936-8890, kapohofarms©yahoo.com Liberato Magcalas noni farmer on TMK 1-4-002-093-0000 (808) 965-6313, Ievy.s.magcalas@gmail.com