Richard Ha writes:

Honolulu magazine wrote about a panel discussion called “The Next Steps in Farm to Table,” which I was part of last week:

Eat Local: Alan Wong, Chuck Furuya and Richard Ha

JOHN HECKATHORN

At its latest lunch meeting, the Hawaii Society of Business Professionals had three speakers with one message: It matters what you eat.

The speakers (pictured right to left, below) were chef Alan Wong, Hamakua Spring Country Farms’ Richard Ha and master sommelier Chuck Furuya, all of whom made the plea that small personal choices could add up to a major revolution in Hawaii.

Wong pointed out that since Hawaii imports 80 percent of its food, the state has only a two- to three-week food supply if a disaster closes the ports.  “The boat no come, you lose plenty weight,” said Ha.

According to state Department of Agriculture figures, if Hawaii replaced just 10 percent of foods we import with locally grown and manufactured foods, that would generate $94 million for farmers, an economy-wide impact of $188 million in sales, $47 million in earnings and $6 million in state taxes. Not to mention 2,300 jobs. Read the rest

Foodland’s President Jenai Walls spoke about how, many years ago, her Irish dad and Chinese grandma worked together at a small store that eventually came to be Foodland Supermarket, the only statewide, locally owned supermarket. She said that Foodland sells more locally grown produce than any other market.

The discussion was sponsored by the Hawaii Society of Business Professionals (HSBP) and the Hawaii Restaurant Association, and held at the Hawaii Prince Hotel.

The HSBP is a very influential group. Here is the group’s board.

From the event description:

The joy of eating wonderful local food in great surroundings forms the essence of the “farm-to-table” movement in Hawaii. At the forefront of this “locovore” movement that marries the importance of saving Hawaii’s agricultural lands, growing the best crops, buying fresh local produce and enjoying local foods at the finest restaurants in Hawaii are Alan Wong and Richard Ha. Alan Wong is the most famous of all of Hawaii’s chefs. Richard Ha and his farm, Hamakua Springs, continue his family tradition of farming on the Big Island. The moderator, Chuck Furuya, was the first sommelier in the State and understands the “locovore” concept pairing fresh local foods with great wines.