Hocker, Jordan

Hocker, Jordan

Office Seeking: Maui Council Member (Upcountry)

Party: Non-partisan
Website: hocker4mauicounty.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?

My platform will ensure that Maui County resources are funneled towards regional food security, with a focus on regenerative farmers namely who focus on soil health to increase individual community resilience both on the day to day and during times of disaster.

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

This is my first run for council, so I have not implemented any policies. My family buys as much local produce as possible from local farmers. We do our weekly shopping at the Upcountry Farmers Marker and consistently support Maui Hub, a direct farmer to consumer project that came out of the pandemic. I'd say my family purchases roughly 80% of our food items locally.

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

We need to increase grants available to farmers who are using regenerative agriculture methods and increase our R1 water infrastructure for large scale agriculture practices to allow more surface water to be utilized regionally by smaller scale farmers. Further, we need to be creating ways that our ungulate population can be utilized as an either local food source or local food economy that benefits all within the communities effected instead of one business or corporation.

Please indicate your position on the following policies:

1. Creating County funding mechanisms to support DA BUX Double Up Food Bucks. SUPPORT

2. Increasing local food procurement for Maui County schools. SUPPORT

3. Increasing Farm to School initiatives including school gardens. SUPPORT

4. Pursuing County Farm to Food Bank Funding. SUPPORT

5. Developing regional organic waste and composting services. SUPPORT

6. Restructuring the Department of Water Supply and Department of Wastewater to encourage strategies for conservation, efficient water use, storage, and growing water resources. SUPPORT

7. Increasing the budget for the Maui County Department of Agriculture. SUPPORT

8. Offering subsidies to local farms that have shown the ability to sustain production. SUPPORT

9. Supporting policies that allow for increased affordable housing for farmworkers. SUPPORT

10. Improving policies around hunting and utilizing invasive protein sources. SUPPORT

11. Funding updated shared processing facilities, including slaughterhouses and food hubs. SUPPORT

12. Implementing new inspection policies to reduce the spread of invasive species. SUPPORT

13. 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.

My positions on the above policies are in full support. I believe the initiatives are necessary for increasing our food security, which with the rising costs of fuel and effects of climate change will be a necessity to our survival and the future of our children.

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?

Our Upcountry water restrictions and invasive species issues are some of the largest issues threatening Upcountry Farmers. We will need to shift the way water is managed and stored Upcountry and implement policy that can utilize local invasive meat sources.