Maui County Department of Agriculture

Below you will find my 3rd testimony to specific Maui County Council Members who do not support a Maui County Department of Agriculture.   

In my 1st testimony, I aimed at inspiring the Department of Agriculture to become reality through giving examples of how far the benefits of agriculture would go.

In my 2nd testimony, I had spoken after Riki Hokama stated how important tourism was, and my testimony was governed by Mike Molina.  My testimony was the only one that went without an opportunity for other council members to ask a question.  All of this is on public record.

On request for a 3rd testimony,  the point tends to become either mute or very passionate.  Continuing conversations can last forever, and voting season is right around the corner.  Itʻs about time that the voice of the people is heard.

Aloha mai kākou, 

Mahalo for this opportunity to elaborate once again, how important it is to think about sustainability.  

Growing up, my father always taught me that doing the same thing and expecting different results, was the definition of insanity.  Applying that fabric of wisdom to the choices that have to be made today,  I can easily see how the dependency on a bankrupt barge and disease riddled tourists might not be conducive to Hawaiʻiʻs future.  Especially not now, after having seen what re-opening has done to Florida and Texas.  

80% of our long-term residential population have been generational farmers.  All of the families that migrated to Hawaiʻi a hundred years or so ago, all came for agriculture.  Many of our current migratory human population also comes to farm.  

Statistics show that 100% of the human population needs food and water to survive, as well as to be strong enough to work tourism industry related jobs.  

[citation: https://www.healthline.com]

Furthermore, statistics also show that only 21% of Hawaiʻiʻs economy is based on tourism. [citation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Hawaii]

Studies also show that the single best way to handle global warming and rising sea levels, is to plant trees.  The cheapest way to get a lot of trees planted, is to invest in farmers.

And to replace all of the small businesses that fell to Covid, investing in the local production of food is probably the smartest way to restore our domestic product and keep unemployment levels down.

Or we could always contribute to global warming, homelessness, corporate profiteering, sea level rise [which sucks for Kahului that is completely built on top of water] and unemployment - through ignoring the needs of our people to gain a non-edible dollar.  The choice is yours, and know that voters will remember who their lives matter to.   

Without any water, global warming will dehydrate the land, allowing ample
opportunity for the heat between the sun and the Pacific Ring of Fire to
ignite, like the fires of 2018 and 2019 did to Maui.
Without water, this pattern will continue, potentially destroying homes.
Most people who come to Maui, come for the lush tropical paradise.
Sadly, today they come to visit just another city with lifeless land.