Federal cuts and actions have already had “significant impacts” on the local food supply chain, as an estimated $88.5 million in federal funds meant for Hawaiʻi and Pacific region farmers and food system organizations have been frozen or eliminated, or have an uncertain future.
That’s according to a recent report from the Oʻahu Resource Conservation and Development Council, which is conducting a survey to assess the effects of recent or pending executive orders from the Trump administration.
And the total funding in jeopardy is “likely to be much higher,” it said, as the administration continues its efforts to slash federal spending.
Its findings come from 87 individuals who have been surveyed so far. Two-thirds of that group are farmers and food producers, and the rest do related research, provide outreach and extension services, and work in nonprofit or food system organizations.
About 55% of them say that federal payments have been frozen, and nearly half of those in that group have already delayed or stopped work.
Federal freezes are already threatening supply for local food banks, which provide food to those who need food but can’t afford to buy it themselves.
Cuts that affect production could make things even worse.
“We're really being squeezed at both ends on this … from the very uncertain landscape around food consumption and imports and tariffs and how that's gonna impact food prices and food availability at food banks,” said Amanda Shaw, the statewide food systems coordinator.
Inflation, on top of an already high cost of living in Hawaiʻi, has made living in the state even more difficult for residents in recent years.
The Hawaiʻi Foodbank last year reported that about one-third of local households can’t consistently afford enough food, and it and other food banks have seen an increase in demand for their services recently.
Operational costs are also high for local farmers, compared to their counterparts outside of Hawaiʻi, so federal cuts go even deeper.
“On the other hand, we're seeing farmers are having to scale back production in some cases. I don't know how widespread that will be, of course — I don't think anybody knows — but I just think those are really, really concerning trends for what is already a very perilous situation here,” Shaw said.
According to the ORCD’s findings so far, 31% of those surveyed plan to delay or stop their work entirely, 16% say they plan on cutting expenses, nearly 12% will stop hiring, and about 7% say they will lay off staff if funding issues persist.
In the report, one of the respondents said, “We are still operational knowing that it could change at any minute. We have reviewed our federal funding in detail and know if all is cut it will affect 1/4 of our staff.”
Most of the affected federal funds come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has been one of the primary agencies for funding cuts.
Frozen funds, according to ORCD’s report, include $40 million from the USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities and $10 million for a regional food business center.
Eliminated funds include $3 million from the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, which is part of a $1 billion cut by the USDA meant to go to schools and food banks nationwide.
The council is asking more farmers, researchers, and food system groups to fill out the online survey to better understand how the freezes are affecting state producers and related workers.
It’s also asking for comments and feedback on its report.
