Community Meeting to Address Ag Theft

A community meeting will be held on Friday, Oct. 27, to address the increasing agricultural theft issues on Hawaiʻi Island.

Papaya trees destroyed in Puna in 2013. PC Damon Tucker

Guests at the meeting will include Sen. Mike Gabbard, Rep. Richard Creagan, Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture Chairperson Scott Enright, Shane Muramaru from the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney and police, county and grower representatives.

Organizers of the meeting say growers statewide have been plagued with continuous theft of orchard crops, making it extremely difficult for small farmers to achieve sustainability.

The scheduled meeting is to identify problems and work towards solutions with the State Legislature, Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and local police departments.

The meeting will be held at UH Kona Cooperative Extension Service located at 79-7381 Mamalahoa Hwy in Kealakeakua across from the Aloha Theater in Kainaliu beginning at 1 p.m.