Cantere, Shekinah P.

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

Party: Republican
Website: cantereformaui.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?

I will advocate for renting out inexpensively state agricultural land to residents and local farmers to encourage growing their own food. I would also like to diversify the economy to provide more jobs for people to farm and get their hands back into the 'āina to grow their own food and become self-sustainable.

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

I have been a part of planting and harvesting kalo to make poi for many different families. I have volunteered at Hale Kau Kau and I am also a regular donor for The Maui Food Bank.

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

I will encourage local businesses to try their best to source their ingredients locally to support local farmers. I will also work on seeing what state lands can be rented out inexpensively for people to farm and produce their own food. I would also like to advocate for local farmers to have lower taxation on agriculture and food production.

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. 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.

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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?

My concern is that we need to be in control of our own water in order to be self-sustainable and grow our own food. I have already taken action and testified on Resolution 22-119 for a water authority to take over the management of these resources. Our Public Trust water needs to be in the people of Maui County's hands and not in the hands of a foreign corporation. I plan to advocate for water infrastructure and to work on solutions that'll help our community first and to regulate hotel usage of water.