NORTH SHORE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 27

NORTH SHORE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD
AGRICULTURE (AG) COMMITTEE AGENDA
TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2025
WAIALUA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION (WCA)
66-434 KAMEHAMEHA HIGHWAY
HALE’IWA, HAWAI’I 96712
6:00 P.M. – 7:30 P.M.

I. CALL TO ORDER: Chair Racquel Achiu

Rules of Speaking: (In Person Meeting) – Please silence all electronic devices – Anyone wishing to participate in the meeting discussions please raise your hand to be recognized by the Chair. Please identify yourself by name (and affiliation if any) when speaking for the first time. When recognized by the Chair, please address comments to the Chair. You will have 2 MINUTES to speak and/or ask your question. Please do not interrupt others when they are speaking; committees are less formal but want every voice to be heard.

Note: The Committee may take action on any agenda item. As required by the State Sunshine Law (HRS 92), specific issues not noted on this agenda cannot be voted on, unless added to the agenda.

II. COMMUNITY CONCERNS REGARDING AGRICULTURAL ISSUES – Limit to Two (2) Minutes each person.

III. COMMITTEE BUSINESS

A. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) February Visit

B. AG CRIME Legislation Update

IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

A. Committee Minutes of January 14, 2025

V. ANNOUNCEMENTS

VI. ADJOURNMENT

A mailing list is maintained for interested persons and agencies to receive agenda and minutes. Additions, corrections, and deletions to the mailing list may be directed to the Neighborhood Commission Office (NCO) at Kapālama Hale, 925 Dillingham Boulevard, Suite 160 Honolulu, Hawaii 96817; Telephone (808) 768-3710 Fax (808) 768-3711; or call Neighborhood Assistant Zhoydell Magaoay at (808) 768-4224 or e-mail zhoydell.magaoay@honolulu.gov. Agendas and minutes are also available on the internet at www.honolulu.gov/nco.

All written testimony must be received in the Neighborhood Commission Office 48 hours prior to the meeting. If within 48 hours, written and/or oral testimony may be submitted directly to the board at the meeting. If submitting written testimony, please note the board and agenda item(s) your testimony concerns. Send to: Neighborhood Commission Office, 925 Dillingham Boulevard, Suite 160 Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96817. Fax: (808) 768-3711. Email: nbtestimony@honolulu.gov.

If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability or an interpreter for a language other than English, please call the Neighborhood Commission Office at (808) 768-3710 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. or send an email to nco@honolulu.gov at least three (3) business days before the scheduled meeting. It may not be possible to fulfill requests received after this date.

NORTH SHORE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD
AGRICULTURE (AG) COMMITTEE MINUTES
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2025
WAIALUA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION (WCA)
66-434 KAMEHAMEHA HIGHWAY
HALE’IWA, HAWAI’I 96712
6:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.

QUORUM WAS NOT ESTABLISHED – NO MINUTES AVAILABLE
FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF A DISCUSSION FOR REFERENCE

6:15PM Chair Achiu established a quorum was not made due to absence of six (6) members. Present members were Chair Achiu and Member Boyd Ready. There were three (3) community members, John Aguirre (Community), Scott Rudy (Community), Wendy Hale (Community) that were present.

Mahalo to Special Guests Jason Shitanishi, County Executive Officer – Farm Service Agency USDA , Sofia Blackweider, County Executive Officer Trainee, Farm Service Agency USDA for taking the time to attend our Ag Committee meeting.

Jason and Sofia provided great discussion about the Farm Service Agency USDA and the variety services and resources available to farmers and ranchers.

The FSA/USDA offers low interest rate Loans, Financial Assistance such as Disaster Recovery Assistance are resources that the FSA/USDA offer to support small farm and ranch operations. We touched on the benefits of the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, a program that many ranchers and farmers utilize to help recover increased expenses from impacts of drought conditions that result in the significant loss of feed for livestock or the loss of crops due to the lack of rain.

Jason’s decades long experience at the FSA/USDA has allowed him to grow strong relationships with farmers and ranchers. He has genuinely enjoyed working with and helping farmers and ranchers throughout the state. Jason shared that he has helped approximately 100 small farmers/ranchers throughout the North Shore area.

7:18PM We concluded our “talk story” session and expressed our gratitude for Jason and Sofia coming to talk to us.

To view agenda and minutes, visit our board website.

Event shows physical location; however, other options of participation may also include WebEx and phone.  If available, instructions for WebEx and phone can be found at the top of the agenda.