Raya, Philip A.

Raya, Philip A.

Office Seeking: State Senator, District 6 (South and West Maui)

Party: Republican
Website: philipraya.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?

We want to make Maui county a sustainable island by increasing local cattle and ag.

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

Supporting local farmers

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

More land designated for agriculture

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.

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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?

We all know that if the Boats are cut off, we starve quickly. We need to expand our sustainability and focus on that by increasing visitor tax rate, and put that money back into our farmers.