Kamekona, Carol Lee

Office Seeking: Maui Council Member (Kahului)

Party: Non-partisan
Website: carolleekamekona.com

Food security is defined by the USDA as "access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life." How will your platform address food insecurity in Maui County?

I propose building a processing and distribution plant where our Ranchers and farmers can process their goods and be able to distribute locally versus having to ship off island and consumers are taxed when products are imported back in.

Please list any initiatives you have supported in Maui County to increase food access and food production that you are proud of:

Farm to School Program, Maui Hub and Maui Countyʻs Department of Agriculture.

Hawaiʻi imports roughly 85% of our food supply. How will your platform address increasing local food production?

Encouraging local residents to grow raised bed garden for their personal use. Asking DOE to add into their elementary level curriculum a class on home economics to include basic gardening and using those products for school lunches.

Perhaps having dedicated farms/farmers provide specific products to specific entities. On a larger Public scale, providing assistance to farmers needing equipment, technology, education etc. by partnering with non profit and organizations that have financial accessibility.

Please indicate your position on the following policies:

Creating County funding mechanisms to support DA BUX Double Up Food Bucks. SUPPORT
Increasing local food procurement for Maui County schools. SUPPORT
Increasing Farm to School initiatives including school gardens. SUPPORT
Pursuing County Farm to Food Bank Funding. SUPPORT
Developing regional organic waste and composting services. SUPPORT
Restructuring the Department of Water Supply and Department of Wastewater to encourage strategies for conservation, efficient water use, storage, and growing water resources. SUPPORT
Increasing the budget for the Maui County Department of Agriculture. SUPPORT
Offering subsidies to local farms that have shown the ability to sustain production. SUPPORT
Supporting policies that allow for increased affordable housing for farmworkers. SUPPORT
Improving policies around hunting and utilizing invasive protein sources. SUPPORT
Funding updated shared processing facilities, including slaughterhouses and food hubs. SUPPORT
Implementing new inspection policies to reduce the spread of invasive species. SUPPORT
Establishing local control of water resources through a Maui County Community Water Authority, with the ability to establish regional community boards. SUPPORT

Please elaborate on any of your above positions here.

Many of my responses to my position on policies above have been addressed in my responses to the introductory questions.

Are there other issues, County-wide or within your own residency area, about food security that concern you, and how do you plan to address these issues if elected?

I am in support of the Maui County Community Water Authority. Water is a right and a resource provided to Kanaka Maoli by the kānāwai. Water was not meant as a commodity to be controlled and regulated by outside big corporations.