CONFERENCE TRACKS

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION
It takes a village to succeed

Cooperation and collaboration are broadly held as community-based values and while not always aligned, the desire to work together was widely demonstrated by communities during the COVID-19 pandemic through increased support for feeding programs, increased participation in community supported agriculture, and signals that continued purchases of locally produced food will continue. Learn more as to how shifts in community perception and action can and should be leveraged to further advocate for Hawai‘i agriculture policies, programs, and resources including those related to the food system and food security, the State's economic reset and proactively addressing future issues and challenges. 

Playing off the recent wave of support for local agriculture and building upon the foundational acts of cooperation and collaboration, Hawai‘i’s agricultural industries, affiliated stakeholders, decision-makers and local communities have a tremendous opportunity to build upon community goodwill and understanding. The good news is the agricultural sector is now positioned to expand its capacity to cooperate and collaborate - be it cooperatives, food hubs, institutional purchases, grower services, processing, marketing, land and equipment access. Leading businesses and organizations are demonstrating the path forward. 

This track explores the partnerships, cooperatives and agreements that are being deployed with creative cross-industry boundaries and unconventional connections to eliminate bottlenecks, assure business success; achieve socio-cultural and ecological benefits; and reap the benefits of scaled up operations. Sessions within this track reflect how community and sector collaboration can result in increased capacity for self-determination, problem-solving, greater control of outcomes and further influence for Hawai‘i agriculture and the community at large. 

A VIBRANT WORKFORCE
The socio-economic factor

Understanding and appropriately addressing the agricultural sector’s labor force and its entrepreneurs is critical to the stability and success of families and businesses in agriculture, and ultimately supports the economic strength and diversification of Hawai‘i. 

This track includes examples and initiatives working to enhance workforce skill sets, develop new farmers, and address workforce shortages and retention. Learn about current worker educational programs, reimagined vocational programs and new labor models that support laborers, ensure social justice for minorities and women, and build a stable labor force that agricultural businesses can rely on now and evolve within the future. Other sessions include programs supporting the development of new producers; how to transfer experience and knowledge, while not discounting new ideas or the views of young or new producers; and how to navigate and successfully comply with labor laws.  

A deeper look at the workforce reveals complex socio-economic factors that drive decisions relating to career and business choices. These factors include business and entrepreneurial acumen and capacity, willingness to take risks and the adoption of new technologies to address a changing environment, and opportunities to seize new and evolving markets and market structures. The repositioning of assets from retiring to new farmers, including the transfer of land, production processes and business knowledge, has the promise to positively address the future growth of the sector. Finally, eliminating the social-stigmas relating to agricultural careers and building successful business models with socio-economic benefits for workers, communities and business owners offer opportunities to grow Hawai‘i’s agricultural sector.

BUSINESS OF AGRICULTURE
​Creating economic viability & vitality

Agricultural businesses continually face tough operational and financial challenges to maintain business viability and vitality. Most business owners are pressed to achieve goals for production, operations and marketing, while staying ahead of the curve to address new challenges, keeping up with the latest in advances, and taking steps to adapt. So how can business owners stay abreast of new technology and farming methods, financing and funding, research and development, biosecurity and invasive species? Not to mention the demand to attend to climate change and adoption of clean energy systems, interfaces with government and policies, food safety, transportation and logistics, marketing, and agritourism. Of course knowledge is power, but just as important to success is the process of obtaining knowledge and its application. 

Today, business leaders are finding collaborative and cooperative models to readily meet the need to source information, develop strategies and deploy initiatives. In short, businesses working together create synergy, strength, and leverage that is magnified and benefits their individual and collective businesses, as well as the financial health and well-being of the community. Awareness of these strengths and how to seek out aligned cross-sector and indirect partners can be an advantage to generate greater capacity and influence within the community and government policy-making organizations. 

This track will include advances and collaborations focused on the development of skills to assess critical and timely changes to operations and restructuring; establish industry and community partnerships; and secure creative funding. Session topics will advance understanding of the supply chain, buyers’ needs, financial literacy and key skills required for small scale animal production. Emerging trends will include environmental tools such as climate-smart technologies, waste-stream management, biosecurity and invasive species control, and bringing about equity in the sector and understanding of our history through heritage operations that have evolved to survive and innovations in indigenous agriculture. Finally, coming together to build a collective vision and plan for Hawai‘i agriculture will be explored.  

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