The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture will be awarding a total of approximately $523,000 to Hawai‘i proposals that enhance the competitiveness of Hawai‘i specialty crops.
To account for the higher cost of food in the state, children in Hawai‘i will receive $59 per month, compared to $40 per month in the continental United States for meal benefits, starting this summer.
Hawaiʻi County producers incurred $100,000 in total losses while Maui County producers incurred $23 million in total losses. Producers estimated the reduction in sales revenue at $5.1 million, the reduction in agritourism revenue at $3.9 million, the value of livestock losses at $75,000, the value of crop damages at $5.4 million, and property damages at $8.5 million.
Hawaiʻi’s reimbursement rate for school meals and other federal child nutrition programs has been increased to 30% above the continental US rates, which is projected to bring an additional $8 million a year to Hawaiʻi to support healthy meals for children.
Four Hawai‘i Island communities and and the Fire Department in Kaua‘i County are receiving more than $400,000 from the US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program. It helps communities, tribes, nonprofit organizations, state forestry agencies and Alaska Native corporations plan for and mitigate wildfire risks as the country faces an ongoing […]