Hawai‘i Community College butchery program graduates second cohort

One of Hawai‘i Community College’s newest programs, whole-animal butchery, will once again be open for enrollment starting Aug. 29.

Enrollment for the third cohort comes after six students became the second group of individuals to graduate from the institution’s groundbreaking program that launched in the spring.

The six-week course, based at Hawaiʻi Community College’s Kō Education Center in Honokaʻa, is a hands-on course designed to develop skilled, workforce-ready professionals who are “deeply grounded” in land stewardship, food sustainability, and entrepreneurial thinking.

The course was made possible through a four-year, $950,000 grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The first cohort of the program graduated in March. The second cohort included students from University of Hawai‘i at Hilo and Mānoa campuses.

“This butchery course has been one of the most impactful experiences I’ve had,” said UH Mānoa animal science (pre-veterinary) student Amelia Mooney. “Every lesson has taught me something meaningful and helped me grow. Butchery is a dying art, and whether I practice in a home or in a shop, I’m proud to help keep it alive and pass on the knowledge I’ve gained.”

Bill Wong, the owner of 17 Ranch in Kohala, serves as the program’s lead instructor.

“This course is a small piece, but it comes at a time when we are concerned about the future of our planet and our food sources,” Wong said. “What students learn in six weeks would normally take a year to learn in the workforce.”

The course combines technical expertise and hands-on learning with an understanding of Hawaiʻi’s food systems, preparing graduates to support sustainable, community-based agriculture.

Through humane, species-spanning training – including beef, pork, lamb, and poultry – participants engage in both field harvest and facility-based processing. This unique program supports Hawaiʻi’s local food systems by encouraging innovation, community-based food sovereignty, and ethical harvesting practices.

“Through this program, I feel truly connected to the local agriculture community, and I’m motivated by our skilled and knowledgeable instructors,” said Hawai‘i CC agriculture student Olena Hovey, who plans to work in meat cutting while pursuing her farming goals. “I see butchery as an important trade that can support Hawai‘i’s food sovereignty by reducing our dependence on imported meats.”

For more information on the butchery program or how to apply for the next butchery cohort, visit: https://edvance.hawaii.hawaii.edu/butchery or call 808-934-2700.