Halperin, Netra

Office Seeking: State Representative, District 11 (Kihei, Wailea, Makena)

Party: Republican
Website: electnetra.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?

Today I testified at Maui County Council on Resolution 2022-119, to place on the November ballot a resolution to give control over East Maui Irrigation to a Community board set up for this purpose. This should ensure that water is equitably distributed to all of Maui, including small farmers. Mahi Pono, apparently the new A&B, SAYS that it is committed to diversified agriculture and respecting the environment, yet does NOT employ organic practices. They SAY that the respect the island's water, yet they are trying, together with a for-profit Canadian pension fund, to buy ALL the water rights in a 30 year lease of East Maui Irrigation. Only time will tell.

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

I was a main organizer of the GMO moratorium. Unfortunately the County and the biotech industry over-rode the decision of the voters, and ignored the moratorium. If all of the GMO test fields were used instead for edible food, this would increase food security.

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

First, ensure that there is adequate water for food production, and that small and backyard farmers receive the same low rates as large commercial farmers. Also I would give more funding support to the Farmers Union, which focuses on small and organic farming. Resiliency and sustainability require, in addition to large farms, many small, local and backyard farms. Local food production will keep us safe.

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.

#7....focussing primarily on organic farms. Bottom line, chemical fertilizers and pesticides are bad for human health. Organic food production technology has advanced so that it has become more economically on par with 'standard' chemical practices. I would give incentives to organic and 'transitional' farms.

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?

Those the most in need of food security are the homeless and indigent. Saint Theresa's Catholic Church is in my district. They serve a free meal every day to those who need it. While ultimately we must address the root causes of homelessness, in the meantime, it is critical to keep people fed with healthy food. I support more 'soup kitchens' in other parts of the island.