Six Farms, Community Organizations On Hawai‘i Island, Maui Set To Receive More Than $1 Million To Create Jobs, Promote Locally Grown Food

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D- Hawai‘i) today announced that six farms and community organizations on Hawai‘i Island and Maui will receive $1,149,316 in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help them create new products and better advertise their goods and services. This support will allow these organizations to grow their businesses and become more successful in accessing new markets.

“Small farms and agricultural businesses help feed families with fresh, home-grown food,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development. “This new federal funding will invest in our local farmers and give them more resources to grow their businesses and support their local communities.

The new federal funding is provided though the USDA’s Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program and the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) Program. The VAPG Program helps agricultural producers increase benefits to customers through the processing and marketing of new products. The RCDG Program improves economic conditions in rural areas by helping individuals and businesses start, expand, or improve mutually-owned businesses like rural cooperatives. These grants can be used by the recipients to cover processing costs, develop business plans, and conduct feasibility studies. They will go to the following farms and small businesses:

• $200,000 for The Kohala Center on Hawai‘i Island
• $49,999 for Mother Nature’s Miracle on Hawai‘i Island
• $250,000 for Hawai‘i ULU Producers Cooperative on Hawai‘i Island
• $250,000 for Makaalae Farms on Maui
• $214,379 for Island Harvest on Hawai‘i Island
• $184,938 for Spicy Ninja Sauce on Hawai‘i Island

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