HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0843.187 2018-2020 COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY OF HAWAII
RECEIVED
Time ii;,a 0*. By 049
Date MAR 2 0 2020
Fri 3/20/2020 11:36 AM
Farmer/Ranch Testimony for Emergency COVID-19 Council Meeting
To: Council Testimony
Aloha County Council Members,
My name is Joanna Nobriga. My husband, Darcy Nobriga and I own and operate Double D
Ranch and Heart of Palm Hawaii based in Laupahoehoe. It is imperative for our agricultural
producers in our county to be included in any orders that would come down from County for
Shelter in place or similar as being allowed to conduct our businesses with proper attention to
handwashing and social distancing which is what we do normally anyway. We need to be
allowed to work. Our animals and food products are still growing and need to be taken care
of. We also depend on our employee's help to do this. Maui's Shelter in Place Order does not
discuss Ag Producers. We need to be able to work and feed our people.
Furthermore, from an economic standpoint, I currently have no customers for my heart of palm
business due to order cancellations from hotels and wholesalers who distribute my
product. Not a single order will be leaving my heart of palm farm on Monday. This is a
challenging time for all of us, and not just those in the tourism industry. As of this morning, no
one is buying weaned cattle on our island for shipment to the US mainland. That will hit our
ranchers heavily who depend on selling weaned cattle to US mainland markets and create
extreme financial hardship for producers who only market cattle in that way. Our ranch,
Double 0 Ranch, is fortunate to have our own USDA inspected processing facility for the
livestock we raise. That is important in this time because there are only 3 USDA slaughter
facilities that can butcher and process animals on Island,and another Mobile Slaughter Unit
that can just butcher. Double D Ranch is working diligently, producing meat for our island's
people. We also sell our meats at farmer's markets in Waimea and Makuu. Makuu has decided
to close for the time being, but our Waimea Markets are still OPEN, with safety restrictions in
place. I think it is imperative that we keep farmer's markets open for produce and food items
giving people alternatives to shopping in the grocery stores. This also helps the farmer be able
to direct sell their product. At this time, we need restrictions to combat the virus. These
restrictions need to be well thought out, while keeping our food chain/distribution intact.
Mahalo,
Joanna Nobriga
' Double D Ranch
Heart of Palm Hawaii
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