Hawai'i Farmers Union
2025 15th Annual Convention
Our mission is to advocate for the sovereign right of farmers, ranchers, and fishers to create and sustain vibrant and prosperous agricultural communities for the benefit of all Hawai'i through cooperation, education and legislation.
SPEAKERS
Sharon Hurd - Chairperson
Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity
Sharon Hurd was appointed as Chairperson on January 1, 2023, having worked for 15 years at the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity in the Market Development Branch where she established regular communication with the commodity groups and agriculture associations that has been key to her understanding of Hawaii agriculture. For the current biennium, to acknowledge the industry’s top concern, the department is focused on Biosecurity and the Interagency Collaboration to prevent, control and mitigate invasive species and pathogens from entering Hawaii.
Nicole Galase - Managing Director
Hawaii Cattlemen's Council
Nicole Galase is the Managing Director of the Hawaiʻi Cattlemen's Council, Hawaiʻi Rangeland Stewardship Foundation, and Hawaiʻi Beef Industry Council. Nicole started her career working with endangered species across the State of Hawaiʻi, including Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Now, she has the privilege to work for premier land stewards – Hawaiʻi’s paniolo. This work includes educating the public on the benefits of well-managed rangelands, partnering with researchers to understand climate smart ranching practices, and increasing access to resources and opportunities for Hawaiʻi’s ranchers. Her goal is to highlight the overlapping goals of cattlemen and conservation to foster closer collaboration between the communities.
Social Media: @hawaiicattlemenscouncil
Dr. Noa Kekuaewa Lincoln - Professor
UH Manoa
Noa is a farmer, advocate, researcher, and educator focused on revitalizing Hawaií's kupuna crops into our local food system.
Social Media: @indigenous_crops
Dr. Saleh Azizi - Educational Specialist
Leeward Community College
Saleh Azizi, PhD, is a dedicated food systems practitioner who has been working with Hawaii's small farmers since 2006. With a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from UH Manoa (2019), and, in 2018, he founded the Hawaiʻi Food Hub Hui. Dr. Azizi's work spans community food systems, participatory policy planning, small farm sustainability, food hubs, and short supply chains. His work aims to strengthen local food security by connecting farmers with consumers and providing resources to increase production and sales.
Hunter Heaivilin - Phd Candidate
UH Manoa
Hunter Heaivilin is a researcher and doctoral candidate whose work explores the intersections of global food regimes, agrarian change, and local resilience in island systems. His dissertation examines how the integration of Hawaiʻi’s food system into global markets has reshaped local vulnerabilities and adaptive strategies across historical and contemporary contexts. Drawing on world-systems theory, resilience thinking, and political ecology, Hunter’s research traces the evolution of food system risks from plantation-era dependencies to present-day dynamics of market consolidation and “localization.” His work combines spatial analysis, policy review, and qualitative research to reveal how governance structures, land use regimes, and economic shifts interact to shape food security and sustainability outcomes. Through his consultancy, Supersistence LLC, Hunter partners with enterprises, networks, and public agencies to connect data with collective action, advancing research, policy, and systems planning across Hawaiʻi’s food system. He also serves as Advocacy Director for the Hawaiʻi Farmers Union, where he works to strengthen participatory governance and develop policy frameworks that support farmer-led resilience and local food sovereignty.
Social Media: @supersistence
Dr. Johanie Rivera-Zayas - Research Agronomist
Hawai'i Agriculture Research Center
Dr. Johanie Rivera-Zayas is an agronomist and soil scientist dedicated to advancing the intersection of science, education, and community resilience. Born and raised in Borikén (Puerto Rico), her roots in tropical agroecosystems shape her commitment to sustainable agriculture across island communities. She serves as Head of Crop Production and Head of Outreach and Education at the Hawai‘i Agriculture Research Center, where she focuses on improving agro-ecosystem productivity, advancing soil health research, and making scientific data accessible to inform practitioner-driven tools and policy decision-making.
Social Media: @harc_hspa
Jill Tokuda - US Representative
Hawai‘i’s Second Congressional District
Jill Tokuda represents Hawai‘i’s Second Congressional District which includes suburban and rural parts of O‘ahu, the islands of Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i, Maui, Lana‘i, Moloka‘i, Ni‘ihau, Kaho‘olawe, and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
She serves on the House Committee on Armed Services, Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and as Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology on the Committee on Agriculture. She is also Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus, Second Vice Chair for the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Region 2 Whip.
Jill’s family has called Hawai‘i home for four generations since emigrating from Okinawa, living on Hawai‘i Island, Maui, Kaua‘i and on the Windward side of O‘ahu. A proud product of Hawai‘i’s public schools, she was the first in her family to go to college and attended the George Washington University where she earned a BA in international relations with a minor in Japanese studies.
PANELS
Panel: What is the future of Organic Certification in Hawaii; is Value Added the answer?
Moderator: Jessy Beckett Parr - Chief Program Officer
California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF)
Jessy Beckett Parr is a longtime advocate for organic farmers, currently serving as Chief Program Officer at California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). She leads a team that delivers education, policy support, and direct assistance to help farmers thrive in organic agriculture. Jessy has helped secure over $25 million in grants to support small and underserved producers. She’s a regular speaker at farmer-focused events, and she’s known for making complex topics—like regenerative agriculture and labor risk—accessible and actionable. Fluent in Spanish, Jessy is committed to reaching diverse farming communities. Jessy’s background includes producing the soil-focused documentary Symphony of the Soil and a Master’s in Community Development from UC Davis. She currently serves on advisory committees for the UC Organic Agriculture Institute and Cal Poly’s Grimm Organic Center, ensuring farmer voices guide organic research and policy.
Christian Zuckerman - Program Manager
Ridgeline Farms
Christian Zuckerman is the owner of Ridgeline Farms, a small diversified regenerative farm in Waianae. After graduating in 2012 from the University of Puget Sound, Christian returned home to Waianae and has been an active farmer and supporter of the community ever since. Christian joined the Hawaii Farmers Union (HFU) in 2016 and is currently serving as the Waianae chapter president and sits on the Hawaii Farmers Union Foundation board of directors as Treasurer and CFO. Christian oversees the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) grant coordinating mentorship for farmers across the state of Hawaii and is the Director of Regenerative Sourcing for Piko Provisions.
Lit Buasriyottiya
Kona Rainforest Coffee
Lit Buasriyottiya brings almost two decades of experience to the coffee industry. From cultivating the land to roasting with precision, milling with care, and building lasting relationships with cafés and farmers, he is deeply involved in every step of the process. With a background in technology and engineering, Lit approaches coffee with an innovative mindset, constantly refining techniques to elevate both quality and consistency. A dedicated advocate for organic farming and sustainability, he values methods that keep coffee growing healthy and long-lasting. Known for his generosity and collaborative spirit, Lit is always eager to share knowledge and support the wider community of farmers, helping them thrive and grow.
Maile Woodhall - Organic Technical Assistant
Kona Organics
Maile Woodhall is a Hawai‘i-based sustainability leader, entrepreneur, and organic certification specialist with nearly two decades of experience supporting agricultural businesses across the islands and beyond. Born and raised on an award-winning organic specialty crop farm, she brings a holistic background in certification, food safety, sales, marketing, branding, business development, and real estate rooted in land stewardship. As an Organic Technical Assistant Specialist with the Hawai‘i Farmers Union Foundation through the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), Maile works to strengthen Hawai‘i’s food systems, empower producers, and advance a more connected and regenerative agricultural future.
Nathan Trump - General Manager
Island Harvest
Nathan Trump is the General Manager of Island Harvest, a family-operated organic farm in Kohala on Hawai‘i Island and graduated from Kohala High School. He oversees the cultivation of 500 acres of organic certified macadamia nuts and the production of a retail line of packaged macadamia nut products. In addition to macadamia nuts, the farm has recently established small orchards of limes and breadfruit. Prior to returning to Hawai‘i to operate the family farm, Nathan began his career in agriculture as a Management Associate with Cargill Animal Nutrition in Kansas City, KS after graduating from Wheaton College (Il.) in 2014 with a degree in International Relations. Nathan is a dedicated leader in Hawaii’s agricultural community, serving on the boards of the Agribusiness Development Corporation and Hawaii Macadamia Nut Association. He also serves the Kohala community as President of the North Kohala Community Resource Center.
Whendi Grad and Garnett Puett
Big Island Bees
Big Island Bees is a cherished family business, with beekeeping roots spanning four generations in Garnett Puett’s family. His journey began as a young boy in Georgia, where his great-grandfather founded The Puett Company. This legacy continued with Garnett's grandfather and father, who raised and shipped queen bees across the USA and Canada, earning their hometown of Hahira, Georgia, the title of the “Queen Bee Capital of the World.” As a child, Garnett worked alongside his siblings in their father’s shop in Hahira, building cages for queen bees. When his father died at an early age, Garnett’s mother married a close friend of the family, a beekeeper and honey producer from Idaho. In the 1970s, his stepfather, Jim Powers, purchased land in Hawaii, relocating the family to the Big Island. By then, Garnett was older and spent his summers working with Jim in the apiaries. As a teenager, he honed his beekeeping skills, but he had other aspirations.
After attending art school at the University of Washington, Garnett believed he had left traditional beekeeping behind. He and his wife, Whendi, moved to New York for graduate studies—Garnett at the Pratt Institute and Whendi at the Fashion Institute of Technology. While Whendi pursued a successful career in textile design, Garnett established himself as a sought-after gallery artist. Yet, the buzz of bees remained in his heart. He created sculptures that merged bronze casting with live bees and honeycomb, with works displayed in private collections like the Hirshhorn Collection and the Honolulu Art Museum.
When Garnett learned his stepfather planned to sell the apiaries to a large corporation, he and a friend, Ben Cariaga, decided to take over the family business. After several trips between NYC and Hawaii, Garnett and Whendi made the permanent move to the Big Island in 1988—and they haven’t looked back since. The bee yards foster a deep connection to the bees and their work, creating a sense of loyalty and commitment. Garnett, like many in his generation, left family-run beekeeping for different careers but ultimately returned to find peace and fulfillment among the bees.
Large-scale honey production exemplifies issues facing our food sources today. Most honey sold in supermarkets is far removed from the pure product created by bees. In the quest for maximum profit, quality often suffers. During bees’ natural dormant periods, large producers feed them artificial sugar syrups, resulting in honey that lacks the uniqueness of flower nectar.
In contrast, Hawaii’s bees thrive on the nectar collected in the pristine environment of the Big Island, Garnett was able to have their honey certified organic in 1999. For years, Garnett’s business, Captain Cook Honey Co., sold honey in bulk to distributors, who often processed and blended it, resulting in products that bore little resemblance to the unique single-varietal honey harvested by Garnett and his team. Disturbed by these practices, Whendi was inspired to take action. In 2003, she launched the Big Island Bees label, packaging their pure honey in jars for direct sale to consumers on the Big Island. Over time, she expanded sales throughout the state, to the mainland and even Japan. When the varroa mite hit Hawaii, it was devastating to the bee population on the island. Captain Cook Honey company’s production was cut in half. Luckily, due to having a value added product with Big Island Bees, the company was able to stay in business.
In 2010, Whendi opened a storefront and later introduced an agrotourism business at their beeshop, inviting others to share in the beauty of their honey and the art of beekeeping.
Panel: The Importance of Nearshore Fisheries and Community-led Management for Feeding Hawaiʻi.
Moderator: Amber Datta - Nearshore Oceans Program Officer
Harold K. L. Castle Foundation
Dr. Amber Datta is a social scientist and serves as the Nearshore Ocean Program Officer for Harold K. L. Castle Foundation. Born and raised in Hōnaunau on Hawaiʻi Island, Amber is fascinated by the challenges and successes of collaborative, community-led approaches to nearshore fisheries and ecosystem management. She has conducted research on nearshore fisheries policy in Solomon Islands and Hawaiʻi, and on decision-maker responses to mass coral bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef. In her current role, she leads the giving strategy for the Castle Foundation, with a focus on supporting collaborative adaptive management, intergenerational stewardship, and efforts to revitalize nearshore ecosystems.
Matt Ramsey - Senior Director
Conservation International
Born and raised in the ahupuaa of Waikiki, Matt is a passionate fisher and conservationist striving to balance fisheries production and marine protection while serving the people and resource of Hawaii. With over two decades of resource management experience, Matt previously managed a no-take marine reserve for DLNR, promoted sustainable fishing practices as a fisheries extension agent for NOAA, and is currently the Senior Director for Conservation International Hawaii. Locally and globally, CI works on the ground with communities and the public and private sectors to protect nature for the benefit of mankind. In Hawaii, Matt and CI Hawaii works to restore abundance to our nearshore waters by supporting grass roots efforts, advancing finance and policy innovation, and catalyzing cross-sector collaborations. Regarding seafood, CI Hawaii works with artists, fishers, chefs, and seafood distributors to create market opportunities for invasive species, value-added food products made from fish waste, and fashionable products made from fish leather. Matt firmly believes Hawaii can address local food security, job security, and conservation needs if we all work together. We don’t need to sacrifice one priority to save another.
Alex Gerken - Fisheries Specialist
The Nature Conservancy
Gerkz is a local boy who grew up in the Puna region on Hawaii Island and attended the University of Hawaii at Hilo earning a BA in Marine Science with a minor in Educational Studies. He is a commercial, recreational and subsistence fisher that brings years of fishing knowledge in shoreline and pelagic methods. He works with fishers on Hawaiʻi Island and abroad to ensure their voices are being heard and brought to key fisheries management planning discussions. He has two daughters and one of his main goals is to see that fishing is available and plentiful going into the future so they can share the same experiences with their kids.
Kara Dumaguin - Acting Program Manager
Hui Kahuwai
Kara Dumaguin grew up on a family farm in Kaʻawaloa, South Kona, where she learned to cultivate coffee, avocados, and bananas, and spent much of her childhood makai at Keʻei, following her dad and pulling the floater while he spearfished. Those early experiences shaped her pilina with both ʻāina and kai, and she continues to fish and farm today. She is connected to Kaʻūpūlehu and the 3.6-mile stretch of shoreline that is under the community-led Try Wait initiative, a 10-year rest period to allow nearshore fisheries to replenish for future generations. Kara serves with Hui Kāhuwai and the Kaʻūpūlehu Marine Life Advisory Committee, helping to guide this effort and creating huakaʻi and outreach that connect ʻohana, keiki, and partners to the wisdom of kūpuna and subsistence fishing. The Hui is also currently developing a fisheries management plan to prepare for when the shoreline reopens to fishing. Kara is pursuing a Doctorate of Education in Leadership for Adaptation and Change with Chaminade University of Honolulu. Her work bridges harvesting, conservation, and education, reflecting her belief that subsistence is not only about food security, but also about pilina, between people and ʻāina.
Kirsten Ham - Chief Operating Officer
Hawai'i Farmers Union
Kirsten Ham-Marshall is the Chief Operating Officer at HFU and HFUF. With extensive experience in social enterprise, Kirsten specializes in helping mission-driven businesses strengthen their operations and build sustainable earned revenue streams. As the co-founder of UpSpire, she led efforts to create profitable business lines that helped individuals facing homelessness and justice system involvement overcome employment barriers. Now at HFU, Kirsten oversees programs that support local farmers, enhance Hawai‘i’s agricultural resilience, and integrate social enterprise initiatives to promote economic sustainability. She holds a BBA from TCU and has a proven track record of guiding organizations to secure resources, enhance operational efficiency, and achieve both social and financial impact. Kirsten comes from a farming family, and she and her husband, Kai, farm and ranch in Waimea, Hawai‘i Island.
Panel: Food Safety - Our Shared Kuleana
Moderator: Kathryn Kavanagh - Food Safety Project Coordinator
National Farmers Union
Kathryn Kavanagh is passionate about cultivating strong local food systems interwoven with community care and good food safety foundations. A lover of the arts, she is interested in uplifting and synthesizing mixed media pursuits with community education.
Social Media: @localfoodsafety
Joey Ooka - Food Safety Specialist
Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity
Born and raised on the island of Maui, PhD in Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering from UH Manoa. Currently the Subject Matter Expert for the Fresh Fruits and Vegetables and Food Safety Program with statewide responsibility for education, outreach, technical assistance and inspection in relation to the FDA's Food Safety Modernization Act - Produce Safety Rule and USDA's Farm Audit Service.
Hayley Wood - Food Safety Project Coordinator
National Farmers Union
Hayley Wood, is a Food Safety Project Coordinator at the National Farmers Union. With six years of experience in Texas small-scale agriculture, she has served as an educator, first-generation farmer, and lead organizer for beginning farmers with the Central Texas Young Farmers Coalition. In her spare, she is very active in her local community garden plot and has a small, joyful side hustle as a cake baker.
Social Media: @localfoodsafety
Kylie Tavares - Assistant Extension Agent
UH Manoa CTAHR Cooperative Extension
Kylie Tavares is an Assistant Extension Agent with the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR) based in Kamuela working in support of commercial edible crops and farm food safety.
Panel: Farmers & Researches Working Together with Korean Natural Farming and Organic Approaches Toward Tree Health
Moderator: Colehour Bondera - Farmer & KNF-er & Professor
Kanalani Ohana Farm
Participating farms are all long time certified organic, who seek to use minimal external inputs and work with local and accessible options for tree and plant health. Colehour Bondera holds two masters' degrees in agricultural fields, and operates Kanalani Ohana Farm in Honaunau.
Dan Hahn
O'Hana'a Farm
Dan Hahn offers full Korean Natural Farming education and support.
Dr. Hector Valenzuela - Professor
UH Manoa
Dr. Hector Valenzuela (PhD Vegetable Crops) is a Professor at UH Manoa in Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences.
Panel: Native Producers/Mala O'iwi: Growing Food and Restoring ʻāina, People, and Relationships, Linking Farms and Forests.
Moderator: Kaipo Kekona - President & CEO
Hawai'i Farmers Union
Kaipo and his wife, Rachel Kapu, have four children and are lineal descendants to Maui. He is passionate towards his Heritage and Culture and has studied under the tutelage of olohe/ali'i Ke'eaumoku Kapu for the past 16-years in the traditions and religious rites of Hawai'i. Kaipo has donated his services to the Kai'apuni 'O Lahaina Hawaiian immersion school programs, grades K thru 5 for the past 7 years, and now grades 9 thru 11 in the facilitation of their agricultural education programs. Kaipo strongly believes in the importance of generational knowledge to ensure a healthy thriving and a functional society and environment.
THE HIVE
Pure KNF Foundation
This year the Hawaii Farmers Union is partnering with the Pure KNF Foundation, an educational 501(c)3 to bring the Microbial Hive to life. The Hive will be centering around regenerative solutions with all day education based on Korean Natural Farming, tactile experiences with fun to make solutions for fertility, healthy refreshments, and a space to relax and network with other folks on the same journey.
The Hive educational component will start at the beginner level and advance throughout the day culminating in expert application applied to the Kona family farm. There will be more than 4 Certified Instructors teaching how to make the 9 Core Solutions, which will give you the DIY experience to make these solutions to produce fertility at home or on the farm. Learn how to incorporate indigenous microbes, knowledge, and solutions to increase the effectiveness of what you are doing beyond just simple composting. Many of the folks presenting have mitigated many common problems like pests, coffee leaf rust, banana bunchy top using Korean Natural Farming effectively. Stop in throughout the day to get what you need to succeed.
The Microbial Hive will have many solutions on display and demonstrated to help you get a great understanding of how to do this yourself. We will have KNF Reproduction, a form of water soluble calcium, being made that can help your fruit become sweeter and more resistant to pest damage. There will be an Indigenous Micro Organism pile in the Hive to relax around as a foot spa, which also turns out to be an amazing soil amendment that will bring soil to life, and subsequently give your plants that opportunity to thrive.
Regeneration is the focus of the Microbial Hive and we will have cool drinks you can customize to your liking as a healthy alternative to sodas. Locally grown Mamaki tea may help you beat the heat and fresh fruit can energize you to be your best self.
The Convention is such a great gathering of folks from all over working toward regenerative solutions, and the Hive will be available to talk story, network, relax, regenerate and get to know one another. Join with folks on a similar mission to further the depth of regenerative agriculture in Hawaii in a relaxed atmosphere.
Educational/ Informational Booths
Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity
Name: Joey Ooka
The Commodities Branch of the Quality Assurance Division within the State of Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity is designed to assist in the development of agricultural industries through quality assurance of agricultural commodities. The Hawaii Produce Safety Program provides outreach, education, and technical assistance to Hawaii produce growers who fall under the Food Safety Modernization Act – Produce Safety Rule, while the Audit Services Program provides USDA GAP, Harmonized GAP and Harmonized GAP + audits for fresh fruit and vegetable producers.
Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.
Name: Angel M
Social Media Handle: @hawaiicattlemenscouncil
The Hawaii Cattlemen's Council (HCC) is a non-profit organization working for the cattle producers of Hawaii in areas of education, promotion and research. HCC is a Statewide umbrella organization of the four county level Cattlemen's Associations with the goal to provide every cattle producer in the state the best opportunity to be both sustainable and profitable. We also believe in grass-roots leadership where every producer's voice is important in establishing policies and direction for our industry both locally and nationally.
Aloha Fertilizer
Name: Naomi Kukac
Social Media Handle:@hawaiicattlemenscouncil
A small locally owned company that is working to develop sustainable organic and potash fertilizers produced in Hawai'i from 100% locally generated wastes with the goal of supporting local agriculture and landscape restoration initiatives while reducing the dependence on fossil fuel derived imported fertilizers.
Ocean Era, Inc. dba Kona Limu Company
Name: Niel Anthony Sims
Social Media Handle: @kona.limu.company
Our mission at Kona Limu Company is to responsibly farm nutritious, delicious native Hawaiian limu (seaweeds), to perpetuate and expand their value to the people of Hawai’i, and to share their culinary and nutritional benefits with the wider world.
Our shoreline farm site at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii in Kailua-Kona gives us abundant access to the bright sun and clear seawater that our limu need to thrive, and allows us to produce seaweed of the highest quality. Doing this is our passion, and our privilege.
We currently farm three species. Our Kona Green Caviar (aka Sea Grapes, or ‘Lato’ in the Philippines, and ‘Umibudo’ in Japan), has long been a popular sea vegetable and health food throughout the Asia-Pacific region. It has a fresh, briny ocean flavor, with a ‘pop’ in the mouth, and is a sustainable, vegan alternative to caviar. Our Kona Dragon’s Breath (or “lepe-o-Hina” - the shawl of Hina) has a robust texture and rich umami flavor. Our Kona Sea Lettuce (or limu palahalaha) is known for its vivid green color and culinary versatility, and has long been important for Hawaiian culture and cuisine.
UH CTAHR/SOAP
Name: Eric Collier
Social Media Handle: @soap_hawaii
To provide exceptional education, research, and extension programs focused on tropical agriculture, food systems, family and consumer sciences, and natural resource management to build resilience for Hawaiʻi and the international community.
Big Island Invasive Species Committee
Name: Kawehi, Young
Social Media Handle: @bigislandinvasivespecies
Website: biisc.org
Our mission is to prevent, detect, and control the establishment and spread of invasive species threats to the Big Island environment, economy, and way of life. We work island-wide protecting our native forests, communities, and agriculture from new and ongoing threats.
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Name: Sami Weiss
Pacific Biodiesel/Maiden Hawaii Naturals
Name: Christopher Long
Social Media Handle: @pacificbiodiesel
Website: www.biodiesel.com
Pacific Biodiesel is the nationʻs longest operating biodiesel producer.Our company created the first retail biodiesel pump in America and today we are recognized worldwide as innovative pioneers in the biofuels industry. Our community-based model of regenerative agriculture and renewable energy is helping to fight climate change, support energy security, bolster food security and grow Hawaiʻiʼs circular economy.
Agriculture Stewardship Hawai’i
Name: Becca Hueckel
Social Media Handle: @agstewardshiphawaii
Agriculture Stewardship Hawai’i is an independent non-profit entity that works to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve. While our mission and mandate are broad, recent work has focused on assisting rural enterprises and farmers, while fostering education and adoption of sound conservation practices on rural lands.
Leeward Community College's Office of Workforce Development
Name: Vincent Kimura
Hawai'i Agriculture Research Center
Name: Johanie Rivera Zayas
Social Media Handle: @harc_hspa
The Hawai'i Agriculture Research Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity. Our mission is to support a viable agricultural sector by researching and applying relevant science and technology to achieve practical solutions and identify new agricultural opportunities.
Kohala Food Hub
Name: Kat Cuzma
Social Media Handle: @kohalafoodhub
Website: kohalafoodhub.com
Kohala Food Hub is a nonprofit organization working to grow a sustainable regional food system on Hawai‘i Island. Our mission is to strengthen the connection between local producers and our community by providing market access, essential services, and resources that make fresh, healthy, local food accessible to all. Founded in 2019 under HIP Agriculture and now operating as an independent nonprofit under Feed Hawai‘i, Kohala Food Hub has grown from a small pilot serving 12 farms to a thriving network of over 150 local producers. Together, we offer more than 400 products to 2,000 customers through weekly online markets, community pickups, and home delivery routes across North and South Kohala. Beyond a marketplace, we’re a movement — supporting farmers, building infrastructure, and increasing food resilience in rural Hawai‘i. By connecting small producers to steady markets and community members to nourishing food, we’re cultivating a stronger, more self-sustaining island food system rooted in aloha ʻāina.
SPONSORS
Pure KNF Foundation
CT Greenhouse
Kona Brewing Hawaiʻi
Kona Brewing Hawaiʻi
Hale Sunshine Rae Farm
California Certified Organic Farmers
USDA
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Kona Mountain Coffee
Sustainable Island Products
Guard Well Farm
The Healy Foundation
Makahiki Games
The makahiki games remember how ancient contenders “displayed their strength, agility and intellect—a direct reflection of the health and well-being of their communities.”
The games will be led by Jesse Kekoa Kaho‘onnei of Kahalu‘u Kuahewa and HFU President and CEO Kaipo Kekona. Competition will be in three contests: moa pahe‘e, slide a torpedo-shaped dart between stakes; ‘ulu maika, roll a stone disc between stakes; and he‘e maia, carry a large rack of bananas while racing. Winners of the first contests will progress to vie in the second heat to finish in the banana race.
ENTERTAINMENT
Ku Ma'ema'e
Local band from North Kohala consisting of members from Iland Boiz, North Shore Live and a mother and son duo, Cole Kela Music. They play a variety of music from traditional and contemporary Hawaiian to the classic move your feet reggae and local favorites. Here to share their “purest sound” is Kū Maʻemaʻe Music.
Maka Gallinger and Son Eli
aka is a Hawaiian advocate, activist, singer-songwriter, recording artist and accomplished performer on the Island of Hawai'i. Known for her unique ukulele play style, versatility and powerful voice, Maka's music is inspirational and carries messages of revolution while bringing voice to the importance of proper stewardship of our land, waters and community.
SCHEDULE
15TH ANNUAL
Hawai’i Farmers Union Convention
2025 EVENT MAP
BECOME A MEMBER
CLICK HERE TO JOIN