The Kamuela Vacuum Cooling Plant on the island of Hawai‘i is operated by the Kamuela Farmers Cooperative, which consists of sixty members, and processes approximately seven million pounds of produce annually, while also providing storage and limited processing services. The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) obtained funding for the facility as one of two vacuum cooling plant pilot
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Mayor Billy Kenoi has brought numerous stakeholders together in an effort to support sustainable agriculture on the Big Island by making 1,739 acres of county land in Kapulena available for community-based agriculture.  The Kapulena lands project has several important goals related to sustainable agriculture—encouraging our youth to enter into agricultural fields, protecting prime agricultural lands from
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The Hamakua Partners in Eldercare (HPiE) formed to proactively seek ways to help bolster information and services relating to elderly and disability care and assistance in the North Hawai‘i region. North Hawai‘i has a greater proportion of an older adult population than the state’s average, which is itself greater than the national average. Moreover, according
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The demise of the sugar industry in the 1990s severely impacted the Hamakua area. Discussions conducted by a committee of university and community leaders resulted in a proposal to establish an educational and research center for the North Hawai‘i region. Providing access to higher education in this rural, underserved area was part of the community-driven effort
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The Little Fire Ants (LFA), Wasmannia auropunctata, are stinging ants that were first discovered on the Big Island in 1999. LFA are widespread in East Hawai‘i, especially between the lower Puna District and Laupāhoehoe in the North Hilo District. There are also infestations on Maui, Kauai and in the Kona District on the Big Island.
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The Lower Hamakua Ditch is woven into the history and culture of the local communities beyond its 26-mile length. The Lower Hamakua Ditch was built by the sugar plantations and finished in 1910.  Originally, the plantations built the ditch to transport the cane to the mill site and for processing the cane. Later, plantations converted the
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Female varroa mite – Photo courtesy of the HDOA Varroa mites were first detected on the Big Island in Hilo by the Hawai’i of Agriculture’s (HDOA) Plant Industry Division in August, 2008.  A majority of the state’s bee industry is located on Hawai’i Island and since the first detection in August, 2008 varroa mites have essentially
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The Paʻauilo Rendering Plant & Slaughterhouse is part of the effort to diversify agriculture in the state and the Big Island while also maintaining  the rural nature of the communities formerly centered on the sugar industry. Hawaiʻi imports roughly 80% of its beef while only 25% of the cattle raised in Hawaiʻi is consumed in the
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Residents of Papa‘ikou have grown increasingly concerned with the dangers and difficulties of using the intersection at Pinky’s (Highway 19 & Papa‘ikou Mill Road) and general traffic safety in their community. Since 2006 community and Papa‘ikou Community Association members have coordinated numerous meetings with DOT, Hawai‘i County Police Department and elected leaders in the effort to improve traffic conditions
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The taro farmers and residents of Waipiʻo Valley are involved in a long-term effort  to maintain the stream system in the valley.  The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) agreed to help develop a stream management plan for Waipiʻo Valley and in 2006 released the Waipiʻo Valley Stream Management Plan. The  Waipiʻo Stream Management Plan will
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