Maui County Farm Bureau announces new Board leadership

Maui County Farm Bureau welcomes Jayson Watts as incoming president for the Board of Directors for the 2025-’26 term. Former President Kyle Caires moves into the vice president position, and a full slate of experienced board members fill the remaining positions.

Officers for the new term are: Jayson Watts, president; Kyle Caires, vice president; Tim Stevens, treasurer; and Ethan Romanchak, secretary. Returning board members are Rodrigo “Rudy” Balala, Theresa Thompson, Brendan Balthazar, Bryan Otani, Matt Keiley and James “Jimmy” Gomes.

An MCFB board member since 2022, Watts works as director of environmental health and safety for Mahi Pono. Statewide, he serves in multiple leadership roles, including as chair of the Hawai‘i Agribusiness Development Corporation (appointed by Gov. Green in 2023); secretary of Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; vice chair of Hawai‘i Food Industry Association; board member of University of Hawai‘i Alumni Association; appointee to US Secretary of Commerce’s Hawai‘i Pacific Export Council; and a member of Alaska Airlines Hawai‘i Community Advisory Board.

In his role at Mahi Pono, Watts leads efforts to keep both employees and the land safe and protected through responsible and sustainable operations, and through full compliance with environment regulations. The farming company operates 41,000 acres of land in Central Maui with more than 400 employees, growing a diversity of crops for local consumption in its mission to improve food security and create economic opportunity.

Watts is eager to take on the responsibility of serving as MCFB president. “Maui’s ag community is at a real crossroads,” he said. “We have incredible potential, but it is going to take everyone—farmers, ranchers, government, educators and the private sector—working together to build the systems that keep local agriculture thriving. I wanted to step up because this is our chance to make sure Maui’s voice and Maui’s farmers help shape Hawai‘i’s agricultural future.”

At the top of Watts’s priority list is strengthening water and irrigation infrastructure both statewide and islandwide. He also sees a need for more local processing and value-added capacity, support for the next generation of farmers and ag workers, and stronger markets for Hawai‘i-grown food, especially through schools, institutions and retailers.

“In the short term, I want to focus on engagement, making sure our agricultural members feel heard, supported and connected,” he said. “Longer term, it is about alignment. If we can get county, state and federal resources moving in the same direction, we can build the infrastructure, markets and policy support needed for real food security and resilience.”

From his leadership experience on numerous boards, Watts has a deep understanding of the power of collective action. “Maui County Farm Bureau gives Maui farmers and ranchers a seat at the table on the issues that affect us most, from water and land access to markets and labor,” he said. “The more voices we have, the stronger we are.”

“All of us at Maui County Farm Bureau are pleased to welcome Jayson as our president for the new term,” said Warren Watanabe, MCFB executive director. “He has a real understanding of the agricultural industry, our needs and our strengths, and what it takes to ensure the vitality of the ag community going forward. I’m confident Jayson will do an outstanding job as president. We give a big mahalo to all our board members for their service and their efforts to lead us toward better education, opportunities and advocacy for Maui’s farmers and ranchers.” 

The MCFB Board of Directors meets the first Wednesday of each month, except when general membership meetings are held in March, June, September and December. General meetings are held on the third Wednesday at Kula Community Center. 

For more information about MCFB, visit www.mauicountyfarmbureau.org.