#Maui Food Hub

With the average age of Hawaiʻi farm producers at 60.7 years in 2022, many groups in Maui County are offering programs to attract young people to the farming profession.

The nonprofit Common Ground Collective is calling on all members of the Maui community involved in food production, preparation, distribution and grocery shoppers to share their input by participating in its surveys. Feedback will be used to create agricultural infrastructure and to improve access to locally grown food on the island.

A tight knit group of friends pulled resources together to stand up a makeshift pit stop at the Lahaina Post Office, providing gas, ice and other necessities to residents in need. “Our kupuna can grieve for us right now, but for all the young people that can help, help,” said Kihei, a Lahaina resident who lost his home in the West Maui wildfire.

The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture has opened a grant program to support the establishment and expansion of food hubs in Hawai‘i. Proposals for the Food Hub Pilot Program are now being accepted for grants between $50,000 and $250,000 aimed at increasing the capacity of food hubs, which are centrally located facilities where food products may be aggregated, stored, processed, and marketed.

Kulahaven Farms LLC, Hawaiʻi’s first, and only, rainbow trout aquaponics farm will be closing operations by the end of this year, the business announced.

Native Hawaiian families that have been financially impacted by or had a member contract COVID-19 are eligible for ‘Ai Hua fresh food vouchers.

The ‘Ai Hua food voucher program now is accepting applications from Native Hawaiians impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a community-based response to a global crisis, a years-long dream was realized in just three weeks, with the launch of the Maui Food Hub, under the direction of the Hawai’i Farmers Union United, and in collaboration with farmers and non-profit organizations across Maui.