New potential for local businesses?

[Rob Tucker]

While we watch fuel and shipping costs rise across the board it is practical to remember that when one door closes another opens.

I was at Safeway a few weeks ago staring at fresh green beans at $5.25/ lb when the produce manager said, without prompting from me, "Good time to start a garden." I told him I was in fact prepping some of my sixty acres for just that and was told that the timing was great, Safeway was examining it's sourcing with an eye to buying local as much as possible. Should be good for local farmers and a variety of small businesses.

Small family farms have been in serious decline since the early 80's. Factory farms and centralized processing, based on inexpensive trucking, became the model. That model is changing. This next couple decades might just be the best possible time to invest in local agriculture and manufacturing. Local and regional distribution models.

This being a remote island the effects are magnified.

Think local. The best job you might find is the one you create for yourself.

[John S. Rabi]

I used to frequent Safeway but switched to KTA because they support the local farmers and sell local produce. I am glad Safeway will join the movement!

Aloha,
John S. Rabi ABR,CM,CRB,FHS,PB,RB
808.989.1314
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
"The Next Level of Service!"

[Hotzcatz]

There is a website which lists how many tons of what sort of vegetables are imported in case someone is deciding whether to plant an acre of green beans or an acre of broccoli. I forget where the website is, but they do track how many tons of what are shipped in. I think it was a department of Ag site, but I don't remember now.

Someone else will have to haul these acres of green beans and someone else will want to wash, clean and put them in boxes, no doubt. There's loads of work in vegetables.

[JerryCarr]

Local produce is already showing up in Safeway, and I think they even featured some in this week's newspaper ad. The great bulk of their produce is still shipped in, but this is a big step in the right direction. Of course, Bear and I grow most of our veggies at home, but I really want the local farmers to succeed.

On a related note, the ABC news tonight had s feature story on manufacturing jobs coming BACK to the USA. It seems that for bulky or heavy items such as furniture and steel, the high shipping expense from China and other far away places now makes production in the USA more cost effective despite higher labor expense. Are there possibilities along those lines for Hawaii other than agriculture?

Cheers,
Jerry

[dakine]

amen to safeway. we left them in the dust for just that reason. a mainland tomato is no tomato at all.. and shipping produce from 1/2 way around the world when we have so much dirt, sun and rain right here has always seemed a bit off base. now if they would get rid of those funny lights in their produce department maybe they could regain the local shoppers interest. I have always liked their bakery.. and they do stock kosher foods.. but man the whole ship it all in from elsewhere model.. ie send our dollars off island.. has always been sacrilegious to me.