Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced the City and County of Honolulu will roll out $3 million in grants to small farmers and ranchers on Oahu, according to an announcement from government officials.
The $3 million will be split into 66 grants, which range in amount from $10,000 to $49,000. The Office of Economic Revitalization has begun awarding the grants.
“We are working with farmers, nonprofits and private funders to create an Oahu where more of our food is grown, harvested and prepared for our tables by our neighbors,” said Blangiardi in a written statement. “Given our island’s dependence on imported foods, this program more than makes sense."
Honolulu City Council Vice Chair Esther Kia'aina proposed the grants as part of a strategy to support local agriculture producers with federal funds, including the city's state and local fiscal recovery funds. The council unanimously approved the grants.
“I am so excited about the announcement of the city’s inaugural awards under this grant program,” Kiaʻaina said in a written statement. “These grants will allow businesses from across Oahu, including Waianae, Kunia, Mililani, Kahuku, Waipahu and Waimanalo to provide local produce to our communities and contribute to Oahu’s agricultural industry, food security and economic diversification.”
Starting in the fall of 2022, the OER held workshops to encourage farmers and ranchers who suffered economic hardship during the pandemic to apply. Ulupono Initiative, Pacific Gateway Center, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, the Oahu Agriculture and Conservation Association, and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement also helped farmers and ranchers apply for grants.
More than 120 farmers and ranchers applied for aid. To view the list of grant recipients, go to oahuaggrants.org.
