Bissen, Richard (Rick)
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?
Food sovereignty is the vision of the Bissen Movement . . . a step towards addressing food insecurity. The implementation of the Department of Ag can be utilized to gather info and data collection to better understand our food production and consumption ratios.
Inviting our local experts and farmers to the table to collaborate and identify their specific needs, maximizing allocation of our resources. When this is realized we will be able to specifically identify where support is needed with our local farmers.
Please list any initiatives you have supported in Maui County to increase food access and food production that you are proud of:
As a first time mayoral candidate, I have not had the opportunity to support any initiatives in this area.
Hawaiʻi imports roughly 85% of our food supply. How will your platform address increasing local food production?
The Bissen Movement is focused on the Collective Kuleana of Maui Nui in all areas.
Better understanding the yield per acre and the production/consumption ratio, we will then be able to identify needs relevant to practices/production that specifically targets the scalability of our current 15% production rate.
Access to ag tech will be key! Integrating cultural practices with the benefit of the implementation of ag tech will increase production, minimizing the consumption of our precious and limited natural resources, reducing overhead cost with the intent of increasing profitability, in turn, providing the ability to be more competitive with pay wages. Working with a collective kuleana mindset will provide for a network and collaboration to utilize and integrate the systems that have been set up and proven by many local individuals and organizations in the grow and distribute cycles. This will also provide for stewardship and continued assessment and re-strategization as needed.
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. REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION
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. 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. REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please elaborate on any of your above positions here.
Both question 2&3-Support-would need to be a collaborative effort between Maui County and DOE; question 4-More info needed to better understand what is currently in place to identify and possibly apply for future funding; question 5-More info needed on processing, cost and possibly funding; question 6-More info needed on the logistics of specialized management and stewardship costs; question 7-Need more Info. This year will be the first time there’s an allocation for the Depart of Ag and we should let the Director dictate their future funding request. They may not have the capacity to do more just yet. Fiscal responsibility is a must; question 8-Need more info on the definition of local farms; question 9-Support with Kamaʻaina Housing; question 12-More info needed on current policies; question 13-as of today (7/18/2022) is currently on the ballot!
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?
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