Hokama, Riki

Hokama, Riki

Office Seeking: Maui Council Member (Lānaʻi)

Party: Non-partisan
Website:

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?

Consider financial options on active agricultural operation lands and help provide co-op sites to combine resources for inbound and outbound inter-island cargo.

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

Help provide financial and operational resources to Lanai farmers from the start of the covid pandemic. Allowed farmers to continue growing, harvesting and selling products for island resident benefits. Supported county acquisition to expand the agricultural park program on Lanai.

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

Same as above responses

Please indicate your position on the following policies:

  1. Creating County funding mechanisms to support DA BUX Double Up Food Bucks. REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION

  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. REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION

  5. Developing regional organic waste and composting services. REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION

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

  7. Increasing the budget for the Maui County Department of Agriculture. REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION

  8. Offering subsidies to local farms that have shown the ability to sustain production. REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION

  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. REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION

  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. REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION

Please elaborate on any of your above positions here.

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?