Agribusiness Development Corporation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2023

Agribusiness Development Corporation Opens 3,100+ Acres for Growing Food Production in Hawai‘i

HONOLULU — The Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC), a state leader and innovator in agriculture, will post online all remaining agricultural lands in its portfolio on Thursday, October 5, 2023 for interested farmers and food producers.

The posting on ADC’s website will include ADC’s remaining vacant acreage of 3,181 in Kālepa (160 acres) and Kekaha (2,950) on Kaua‘i; and in Whitmore (65) outside Wahiawā on O‘ahu. ADC is requesting any/all individuals who are interested in agricultural land from any island to fill out an “Expression of Interest” form that will be included online.

While there is no set deadline, the filings by farmers and ag producers will help the ADC board strategically plan how and where food production can expand in our state, said ADC board chair Warren Watanabe.

Chartered in 1994, the ADC has grown to include 22,801 acres of which 16,663 are farmable. Farmers, ranchers and agribusiness companies are working on 10,999 acres, with another 2,483 acres currently in negotiations with selected tenants.

“This next step begins delivery on the aggressive goals of the new ADC board to increase local production of agricultural products for local consumption and reduce the state’s reliance on imported food,” said ADC board chair Warren Watanabe. “The new level of transparency from the board and these actions demonstrate the board’s intention to fully embrace and grow in new ways the economic, environmental and social benefit for the people of Hawai‘i.”

Newly selected ADC Executive Director Wendy Gady said, “I cannot begin to express the enthusiasm of the board’s hope that this action will invite new and younger farmers and ranchers into a conversation for how to grow their businesses and drive economic growth in the communities they are in. We very much want to open a dialogue with producers at all stages of production in developing a future for Hawai‘i in the ag industry.”

“I am encouraging people to think of ADC as being open for business,” Gady added. “I would like to underscore that the ADC board is requesting Expression of Interest from across the state. The ADC board takes seriously our goal of serving all of Hawai‘i.”

Press Release

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About Agribusiness Development Corporation
The Agribusiness Development Corporation (“ADC”) is a state agency created in 1994 by the Hawai‘i State Legislature and is administratively attached to the Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Its mission is to conserve and convert arable lands and their associated infrastructure that were formerly large mono-crop plantation lands into new, productive uses. The agency’s ultimate goal is to ensure that agricultural production and agribusiness ventures will be responsive to the current food and other agricultural needs of the State of Hawai‘i.

For media inquiries or more information, please contact:

Scott Ishikawa
(808) 227-2350
[email protected]

Laci Goshi
(808) 518-5480
[email protected]