Brown, Kim
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?
We need to get our islands set up for success in healthy food production. The fact that we’re importing over 85% of our food, and much of it is foreign imports, and only 3-5 days of food supply available at any given time, is a real problem putting us in a position of crisis should the supply chain be interrupted. And our government officials are not experienced in being proactive, rather reactive to issues that were foreseen and could have been prevented and or mitigated.
Please list any initiatives you have supported in Maui County to increase food access and food production that you are proud of:
I’m supportive of all initiatives that make Maui County closer to being food independent and healthier, avoiding dependency on shipments and outside entities.
Hawaiʻi imports roughly 85% of our food supply. How will your platform address increasing local food production?
Getting access to farmland, water systems, imputing resources into the farming, agriculture and cattle ranchers to set them up for success! We have everything we need here in the islands to be successful, we just need someone to champion this field and access any resources that would help, while removing the unnecessary and burdensome “policy” that may be in the way of achieving our goals.
Please indicate your position on the following policies:
Creating County funding mechanisms to support DA BUX Double Up Food Bucks. REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION
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 + REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION
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. REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION
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.
I am for anything that would help achieve organic food sustainability for us here in the islands. And I will do whatever I can to make sure the voices of the People are heard, and the talents, skills and knowledge of farming, agriculture and ranching are utilized for our good, setting the community up for success!
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?
The main thing is making sure we procure water rights and also land to expand production. We also have a lot of land that is damaged due to the testing here in our soils, and there are many solutions that have been brought to the table as to how to restore and replenish so we have a nutrient rich foundation for growing healthy, organic foods for us, the People of Maui County.