OHA to Host Free Agribusiness Workshop in Hilo June 7

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is partnering with The Kohala Center, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL), Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement and University of Hawai‘i’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to hold an agribusiness and resource workshop on June 7, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The workshop will be held at UH at Hilo in the Komohana Research and Extension Conference Room, 875 Komohana St. in Hilo.

OHA is co-hosting this event in response to DHHL agricultural lessees in the East Hawaiʻi community identifying small business development training as an area of need.

“The Kohala Center has helped develop and grow agricultural projects across the state, and we are happy to work with them and DHHL to provide guidance for Native Hawaiian entrepreneurs in the East Hawaiʻi homestead community,” said Robert K. Lindsey Jr., OHA trustee for Hawaiʻi Island.

The workshop is intended to be a resource for small businesses in the agriculture industry. The workshop is open to current and prospective agribusiness operators. Attendees will learn about resources available to help start-up, maintain and grow agriculture ventures. The workshop will cover funding available for agriculture projects, building business capital, marketing products, and other agribusiness opportunities.

Programs and service providers to be covered in the workshop include:

• USDA Farm Service Agency
• State Department of Agriculture – Hawaiʻi Food Producers Fund
• Kahiau Rural Business Development Micro-Loan Program
• US Small Business Administration
• UH Hilo Agruiculture Program
• Hilo Agribusiness and Resource Workshop

The workshop is part of OHA’s I Mana Ka Lāhui series, which are smaller community workshops tailored to meet the unique needs of Native Hawaiians in a specific area. These workshops may focus on increasing participation in Hawaiian culture; increasing educational opportunities about Hawaiian history; providing support for Native Hawaiian civic engagement; or addressing the results of OHA’s Strategic Plan.

Space is limited so those interested are encouraged to register in advance.

For more information on the agribusiness and resource workshop, contact Kamaile Puluʻole-Mitchell at (808) 933-3106 or email kamailep@oha.org.