Honolulu Wins $499,024 USDA Grant to Connect Local Farmers With Major Buyers
The City and County of Honolulu in Hawaii announced on Nov. 13 that its Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency has been awarded $499,024 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) to help connect Oʻahu farmers and food producers with major buyers, creating new opportunities to keep more food grown, purchased and consumed on Oʻahu.
The three-year initiative will help local farmers and food businesses better access large-scale buyers such as hotels, restaurants and other institutions that serve thousands of people every day. Through the grant, the city aims to accelerate $1 million in new or expanded local food procurement, improve procurement systems for 10 to 15 institutions, and directly support more than 50 producers.
"Strengthening our local food system is essential to creating new opportunities for agricultural businesses to grow while keeping more food dollars in our local economy," said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. Dudley Hoskins, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, said in a USDA release that the program helps producers develop new markets, strengthens local and regional supply chains, and increases economic opportunities in agricultural communities.
The city said Hawaii remains one of the most food-import-dependent regions in the United States, importing 85 to 90 percent of its food supply. The 2026 Kona Low storms led to a federal disaster declaration and widespread agricultural losses; Agricultural Stewardship Hawaiʻi estimated impacts from $40 million across more than 600 farms to $50 million affecting about 2,000 farms statewide, including approximately $26 million in losses on Oʻahu alone.
Over the next three years, the city and its community partners will invest an additional $432,551 in matching contributions. Activities include assessing purchasing opportunities across Oʻahu institutions, helping producers prepare for larger commercial markets, developing toolkits for buyers and farmers, hosting events connecting producers with institutional purchasers, providing mentorship and technical assistance, supporting producers seeking food safety certifications, and piloting data tools that make it easier to source Hawaii-grown products. Community partner organizations will be selected through a competitive process.
The project aligns with the newly released Oʻahu Food Systems Action Plan to improve food resilience, support local agriculture and build a scalable model for local purchasing across multiple sectors of Oʻahu's economy.
(Source: Office of the Mayor, City and County of Honolulu)
Source: Office of the Mayor, City and County of Honolulu
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：Waimānalo 一名农户把刚收获的ʻōlena（姜黄）递给社区成员（Honolulu 市政府官方发布照片）。 / Photo: A farmer in Waimānalo passes freshly grown ʻōlena to a community member (City and County of Honolulu, official release photo).
