In grocery stores across the state, it's generally easier to find locally grown beef than other types of meat, like pork or goat — but there's an effort to improve local production for those other species.
This year, state lawmakers budgeted $17 million into a “small-animal” slaughterhouse to be built in the Wahiawā area on Oʻahu.
Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Central Oʻahu Agriculture and Food Hub in November, also noted how the slaughterhouse will improve local food production.
“That's going to make sure that hog farmers have some place to process their crop or their hogs so that they can make local bacon, local ham hock, local ham — whatever the case may be. That also means that the (state Department of Education) can buy it now,” he said.
The DOE has a mandate to source 30% of the food it serves by 2030, and 50% by 2050. But it’s only at 6%, and has said that the consistency, or lack thereof, of local food being produced at scale is one of the reasons holding it back.
Other local departments, as well as the state as whole, have also set goals to improve local food production and source more of their food locally.
The planned facility is meant to help scale up local meat production from species like hogs, goats and sheep.
And there's a need for it, as there are only a few small-scale slaughterhouses for those animals.
“For the hog farmers, they cannot scale up because there's nowhere to slaughter on Oʻahu,” said Dane Wicker, deputy director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
The $17 million set aside for the slaughterhouse was allocated to the Agribusiness Development Corporation, which is housed under DBEDT.
There are two larger slaughterhouses in the state, but they’re reserved for cattle.
While they can be used for smaller animals, it takes time — and money — to clean the facilities and change out the equipment necessary.
One of the slaughterhouses is in Kalaeloa on Oʻahu and used to dedicate more time to small animal species, but has reduced that availability.
“I can't speak on why, but it's probably a business issue's decision on utilizing the facility during its operational hours. Whenever you switch a product, you have to shut down, clean and then switch over. Economically, if our ranchers and farmers do not make money, they'll go out of business. And then the talk about food security ends right there,” Wicker said.
Processing capacity for smaller species is one of the most significant bottlenecks to increasing the local production of those types of meat, but those in the industry warn that it’s not the only issue that needs to be addressed.
One problem is that beef has a better return on investment. That’s in part because the demand for locally raised beef has already been established, but the size of cattle means there’s also an inherent obstacle for processors to work on small animal species.
Additionally, the inconsistent supply of hogs, sheep and goats will hurt the growth of those meats in the local market.
“That's why no processor is going to touch small animal. It's just not worth it. The cost of production for small animal is the same as doing beef, so why would you do the same amount of work and take less?” said Brad DeLuz, owner of Hamakua Meat Processors on Hawaiʻi Island.
DeLuz said a state-run small-animal facility could work, but it would need more planning and input from processors to get it right.
“If the state is really serious about this, get together some farmers that really know what they're doing and want to expand. Then they need to get some processors together and discuss everything openly, because you’ve got to figure out how big this plant is going to be, and what kind of capacity you’re planning on running through,” DeLuz said.
He said if the state helped existing operations expand instead of having its own dedicated facility, increased production would be quicker and more likely to succeed.
Taylor Kellerman, director of diversified agriculture and land stewardship for Kualoa Ranch on Oʻahu, said a small animal slaughterhouse would be welcomed, but it won’t lead to increased production on its own.
“To stop there is where I have a concern,” Kellerman said. “My implorement is to look beyond just the building … and look at the ways that we're going to make it successful, not only from an inventory standpoint but from a cost-basis for the producer itself.”
Kualoa Ranch primarily raises cattle, but it also has herds of sheep and pigs. The ranch won’t expand those herds until there’s an increased capacity to process them.
But it’s riskier for smaller farms to grow their herds and the cost of operation without a guaranteed return.
“To ask producers to increase but without creating avenues for overhead reduction — when you look at a margin that is either not there or barely there — is an unrealistic expectation,” Kellerman said.
State officials said the small-animal facility will help the state be more food-independent, and that it’s imperative to start building the necessary infrastructure for that now, instead of waiting for the perfect time to do so.
The slaughterhouse will be able to process somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500 animals per day, according to the state.
Construction is estimated to be finished in about 4 to 6 years.
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