Hawaii Farmers United Union’s (HFUU) mission is to advocate and create vibrant and prosperous agricultural communities for the people of Hawaii Nei. HFUU is composed of 13 Chapters across the Hawaiian Islands and is represented with a seat on the Hawaii Board of Agriculture. HFUU’s members are farmers, gardeners, and folks that purchase and consume locally produced products. HFUU has two arms. Hawaii Farmers Union United: The farm advocacy membership organisation whose focus is on legislation, education, and cooperation. As a 501c (5) non-profit, any donations to the farm organisation administration and activity are a business write off. Hawaii Farmers Union Foundation: A 501c (3) non-profit charitable and educational outreach foundation. All donations made to the foundation are tax deductible.
HFUU is organising its 10th Annual State Convention online from November 12 to 15, 2020. It will be a virtual interactive experience celebrating Hawaii’s agriculture with keynote speakers and live panels, Hawaii chef demos, Hawaii’s farm heroes,etc. In an exclusive interview with The Organic Magazine, Vincent Mina, President HFUU/HFU Foundation speaks about the Convention and the Climate Change mitigating benefits of Regenerative/Organic agriculture.
What is the main objective behind the convention?
To provide educational outreach to our members and those who value local food systems and regenerative agricultural practices. Also to provide a space where folks can be inspired to carry on with what moves their spirit in agriculture.
How many attendees are participating?
We expect to have upward of two thousand attendees. Since it is an online robust livestream event, folks who register can have a private link to view all content which is over 50 interactive presentations up to one year after the event.
Your thoughts on regenerative agriculture?
As a farmer lowering my outside inputs while recycling nutrients back onto the farm is an essential and welcome outcome with regenerative agricultural practices. Plants end up doing their best while the farm becomes resilient to consistent production, so long as the rhizosphere, which is where all aerobic life in the soil resides, is managed properly. The top seven inches of the soil managed with cover crops, compost and diversity of crops will create a sub-straight of vitality that will promote healthy abundant yields.
How can organic/regenerative agriculture mitigate climate change?
At breakneck speed within our industrial society, we are storing carbon in the sky and the ocean. It needs to be stored in the soil and plant life where it can mitigate the harmful effects of it being predominantly stored in the sky and the ocean. Scientists have stated that if we raise the organic matter in our agricultural soils even by 1 to 2%, we can mitigate Climate Change.
Regenerative and Organic soil building practices promoting root growth, assist in the development of humic structures as the organic bio mass from roots and organic matter break down in the soil. Humus is the breakdown of organic matter to the finest degree which is resistant to further breakdown and collectively over time form humic structures. It also has an ability to hold moisture which in turns assist in the healthy soil’s ability to recharge the aquifer that is below the surface of the soil. How this mitigates climate change is from the sequestering or storing of carbon which is the life in the soil in the form of soil humus. Which begs the question, “Don’t we all need to have more of a sense of humus?”
Well done Steena Joy of Organic Magazine. Your work exhibits the result of what happens when we collaboration and cooperation with one another. Now if we as a society can do the same with Nature who only wants to collaborate and cooperate with us we can move serious energy forward in regenerating our agricultural systems.