Bill supports mentorship programs for young Hawaii farmers

A bill to encourage new farmers and increase local food production is making its way through the state Legislature.

Senate Bill 3197, introduced by Sen. Mike Gabbard (D, Kapolei-Makakilo), who chairs the Committee on Agriculture and Environment, would establish a farmer apprentice mentoring program within the state Department of Agriculture. The bill passed the House Committee on Agriculture on Wednesday after making it through the Senate.

Under the measure, the Agriculture Department would collaborate with and provide funding for existing farmer mentorship providers.

SB 3197 would expand ongoing programs such as the Hawaii Farmers Union United FAM program, which started on Maui in 2015. HFUU’s seven-month program is based on classroom work and farm immersion that integrates Hawaiian cultural practices of sustainability and also takes a “whole farm” systems approach.

“Increasing the number of farmers who grow food is a key facet of the HFUU statewide strategic plan, and a critical component of meeting State goals for increasing food security and agricultural self-sufficiency,” HFUU said in written testimony supporting the bill.

Exact funding amounts have not been determined, although a previous version of the bill would allow the Agriculture Department to enter into contracts with farmer-training providers of up to $100,000 per year. That version of the bill would have also provided the Agricultural Department with $2 million for the program in the upcoming fiscal year.

The number of farms in Hawaii grew to 7,328 in 2017 from 7,000 in 2012, according to most recent U.S. Department of Agriculture census reports, but the growth was driven by farms of less than 10 acres. Additionally, the state’s total agricultural market value dropped to about $564 million from $661 million during that period, likely due to the loss of about 38,800 acres of sugar cane in 2016 and the decline of Hawaii’s seed corn industry.

While Hawaii has a relatively large percentage of relatively new farmers — the USDA reported in 2017 that 32% of Hawaii’s farmers had less than 10 years of experience — the average age of local farmers is still higher compared with the rest of the country. The average age of farmers in the U.S. is 57.5 years, but in Hawaii it’s 60.1 years, up from 58.7 in 2012.

The last agricultural census reported roughly 12,400 farmers in Hawaii, among them nearly 5,100 who were age 65 or older and only about 750 younger than 34.

SB 3197 aims to encourage more younger people to engage in farming.

“The average age of the Hawaii farmer exceeds 60 years old, and if they were in other professions would most likely be retired. Yet many of these farmers are those that provide to supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, farmers’ markets, and truly make a difference in reducing imports,” the Hawaii Farm Bureau said in a written testimony supporting the bill.

“Unfortunately for many, succession plans do not exist and as they retire, the lands go out of agricultural production. There is an urgent need for interns or apprentices that are willing to not only work on these farms but take over their operations.”