GoFarm celebrates a decade of helping new farmers

Mar 29, 2023

GoFarm Hawaii recently hit a milestone of assisting more than 500 beginner farmers over its 10-year history. The non-profit runs various Statewide Farmer Training Programs on Oahu, Kauai, Maui and Hawaii Island. Program participants work on various sites across the state to learn how to make a living in the agriculture business and engage in hands-on preparation to run commercial farms from experienced industry professionals.

Once the new farmers graduate from the program, they are able to apply to lease land from GoFarm Hawaii at a reduced rate. For example, they can lease land at the Waimanalo site for $400 an acre a month, well below industry standards. This component of the program is a big draw for many because the cost of running a farm is often a deterrent for those wishing to enter into the farming business. Another roadblock is finding younger people because many farmers are nearing retirement.

“The average age of farm owners in Hawaii is around 60,” said Jesse Cooke, Ulupono’s vice president of investment and analytics. “Ulupono supports GoFarm because it’s helping to train the next generation of farmers and the organization is one of the only that provides comprehensive training for people who want to enter farming for the first time.”

Increasing the number of well-trained local farmers and ranchers is critical to Hawaii’s food security. They provide a critical safety net for residents when the imported food supply chain slows or fails. This was highlighted during the pandemic when Hawaii food banks struggled to get adequate food for needy families. As a result, food banks turned to local farmers and ranchers for help.

The Statewide Farmer Training Program, which operates under the University of Hawaii, started in 2012. Its annual $1.6 million in funding comes from federal, state and county grants, and private donors such as Ulupono Initiative, which has contributed $286,000 in grant funding to the organization since 2013. Ulupono also supported GoFarm Hawaii in accessing CARES funding during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, made available through the City and County of Honolulu Office of Economic Recovery.

Learn more about GoFarm Hawaii and its services.