Written by HFUU Member Hank Kline Regenerative agriculture is an advanced method of agriculture that follows the example of nature to grow healthy nutrient dense crops profitably without chemical fertilizers or poisons. It increases plant health and nutrient density, which increases the health of the people that eat these plants. It is also a major solution to global warming and climate change and beneficial for our environment. Earth’s cultivated soils have lost over 50% of their carbon because of excessive tilling and the use of chemical fertilizers and poisons. This carbon is currently floa ..read more

Written by Carrie Spencer of thespencersadventures.net Agriculture has grown in leaps and bounds in the last century or so, owing to fast-moving technology. But of course, whether or not this growth is for the general good of the population and the environment is also a legitimate question. Hawai’i Farmers Union United takes a closer look at the main ways that technology has given agriculture a leg up in recent years, as well as the specifics and even implications of such advancements.  Production Of the many improvements that agriculture has enjoyed in the last handful of decades because ..read more

Speaker Series #37 | Kupu Ka Niu Kupu Ke Kanaka – When Coconuts Grow, Humanity Flourishes with Indrajit Gunasekara and Manu Aluli Meyer. **Special guest Keith Weiser will speak on the current status and future direction of Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle control in Hawai’i. Indrajit Gunasekara is native to Southern Sri Lanka and has been in Hawaii for 20 years. He has an unbroken line of connection (3,000 years) to the use, purpose and spiritual function of the coconut. His love and knowledge of the niu has activated the Niu Now movement focusing on the coconut as a vital food resource. He is curre ..read more

Four incredible wahine farmers discuss their journeys with farming in the remote town of Hana, Maui, hosted by HFUU Hana Chapter and Kari Hagedorn of Mahele Farm & Hana Farmers Market! Gina Lind – and her husband Greg believe that their farm and fishing operation allows them an opportunity to teach their children hard work and sustainable agricultural practices. Gina is also a long-time teacher at Hana School and aims to pass on her skills and trade by providing educational field trips and student work opportunities on their farm. After growing up farming and raising animals with Eunice a ..read more

Aloha ʻāina! The recently concluded Hawaii Farmers Union United convention was, for those of us fortunate enough to attend, pāhoehoe. That is to say, it was a powerful, Aina-driven eruption and also an ultimately smooth flow of energy. Bobby Paia, our generous host, master kalo grower and steward of 850+ agricultural acres in central Maui, embodied his ongoing chant, “the hana is the mana” and set the tone for a weekend of revelations and inspirational energies. Starting, from the finish of the convention, I have to first of all apologize to those present for regrettably having to leave t ..read more

Wandering through the fenced off garden beds made of upcycled materials and underneath a couple shade and greenhouse structures, there were beds of kalo, luffas, poha berries, squash, herbs and tomatoes. Several members of the East Hawai’i Chapter gathered to tour the regenerative farm and animal sanctuary of Seeger Institute at Eden Farms Hawai‘i (Seegerinstitute.com) on Saturday August 20, 2022. We listened as Gary described his vision of regenerative circular food systems and his intention to invite a conversation about possibilities rather than claiming perfection ..read more

The heat of the afternoon sun takes a heavy toll when you are out in the field working your kalo. However, it is time well spent knowing you are providing fresh local food for your community and caring for the land, ecosystems, and the future. Partnering with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), farmers, ranchers, and private forest owners and managers can receive technical information and assistance and financial assistance for implementing conservation activities. In the Pacific Islands Area (PIA), the mission is clearly defined: “We deliver conservation solutions so agricultu ..read more

A coalition of 30 local, state, and national organizations, officials, and experts concerned with the misleading labeling of Hawaii produced coffee blends called upon the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to discuss the conduct of a new study on the matter by commencing a public meeting. The study, mandated by law, will include proposals for new legislation. It is aimed at reexamining current rules that allow coffee blends with as little as 10% genuine content from a geographic region such as “Kona” to prominently display that geographic region on the label when the product contains mostly cheap ..read more

Aloha Hawai’i Farmers Union United (HFUU) members, It is with great pleasure and gratitude that I present you with this update for the 2022 legislative session. Based on policy priorities voted in by HFUU’s family farmers for strengthening the local food system, promoting soil health and building a stronger agricultural workforce, the Hawaii Legislature passed the following farmers union initiatives:  Act 313 – SB2218- Food Hub Pilot Program ($1.5M) Requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a five-year food hub pilot program to increase access to local food.  Provides for ..read more

by Liz Kimbrough, originally printed in Mongabay, News & Inspiration from Nature’s Frontline Researchers compared the nutritional content of the food crops grown using conventional versus regenerative farming practices — those that build the soil by using cover crops, a diverse rotation of crops and minimal tilling Food grown on the regenerative farms contained, on average, more magnesium, calcium, potassium and zinc; more vitamins (including B1, B12, C, E and K), and more phytochemicals. “Most notably, soil health appears to influence phytochemical levels in crops,” the authors write, “i ..read more