2024 Annual Report

Our Four Program Areas

Fair & Sustainable Food Systems: Ways We Work

  • Research & Data Analysis

  • Legislative advocacy

  • Coalition Building

  • Pop-Ed / Communications

  • Organizing /Base Building

  • Legal Challenges 

2024 FSFS Key Accomplishments

  • We are Growing our Digital Organizing Reach & Impact:

    • HAPA mobilized the majority of supportive testimony for 50+ good food systems bills in our policy agenda (62%). 

    • Generated 30 FSFS action alerts 

    • 3 our Fair & Sustainable Food Systems bills passed! 

    • Launched Pesticides & Public Health Pop Education Series

    • Grew our digital organizing reach & awareness 

  • Growing a Base of Engaged Food Systems Leaders & Partners

    • Base building list of over 150+ activated food systems leaders

    • Provided first organizing training for food systems leaders

    • Growing partnership through our base building program

  • Growing food equity work, joined multiple coalitions

  • Chapter 343 Lawsuit is Holding Syngenta Accountable in West Kauaʻi

  • Almost Completed 2020-2021 Pesticide (RUP) Usage Research to share publicly

Ola Hawaiʻi: 

Partnership w/ UH School of Public Health

Map of Hawaii showing geographic features, city names, and various land types with points of interest marked across the islands.

  • Data Assessment & Research utilizing public health data sets & HAPA’s RUP data research

  • Focus Groups UH Partnership Project with Dr. Rosana Weldon

    • Impacted Community Groups (Central-N.Shore Oʻahu)

    • Indigenous & Regenerative Farmers

2024 Fair & Sustainable Policy Agenda

6 priority areas

10 introduced bills
50+ bills tracked

2024 Legislative Accomplishments

  • HAPA’s FSFS Policy Agenda: 

    • Included Support for/Tracking 50+ Food Systems Bills

  • We generated alerts for: 

    • 18 Good Tier 1 (pesticide reg.) + Tier 2 Bills (FSFS) (many of our bills didnʻt get hearings)

    • 3 Passed! (DA BUX & Food Bank $ inserted into budget, Fishpond leasing/restoration sent to Gov)

    • 62% of supportive testimony (687 total) are attributed to HAPA’s digital organizing

2024 Digital Organizing

  • 61 emails sent

  • 41% average open-rate

  • 317,370 opened (impressions)

  • 7,083 clicks/ actions

House Farm Bill & Federal Preemption

  • National Farm Bill

  • Call to Action to Contact Federal Representatives

  • Ongoing Push Against Preemption & For Home Rule

  • Working with National Partners & PPN

Call to Action to Contact Federal Representatives

Update: 1,608 Letters Sent!  |  Goal: 3,200 Letters  |  50%+ of goal

Coalition Building

  • Hawaii-wide Coalitions & Networks 

  • Hawaiʻi Hunger Action Network

  • Universal Free School Meals Coalition

  • SNAP Protections Coalition

  • Hawaiʻi Farmers Union

  • New Partnerships: Ke Ea Hawaiʻi, MAʻO Farms, Hawaiʻi Appleseed, 

  • National Partners (PPN)

2024 Community-Based Resource Stewardship Accomplishments

  • 13 Alerts to mobilize engagement for protection of ʻāīna, wai and kai

  • Increased support for de-militarization efforts

  • Continuing to watchdog and mobilize engagement around ADC lands (NPDES permits)

  • Supported a bill to address undue political influence at the Water Commission 

  • Ongoing support for streamflow restoration efforts across the pae ʻāina

  • Support for lokoʻia restoration bills at the legislature

Community-Based Resource Stewardship Ways We Work / Activities

  • Organizing, policy & coalition support for partner-led campaigns 

  • Red-Hill Organizing

  • Streamflow Restoration

  • I Ola Wailuanui

  • Support for Ahupuaa Restoration

  • Communications / Pop-Ed: events, panels, talks 

  • CBRS Blog/Library/Events

Protect Kaʻula Panel & Action Alert

  • Helped organize a last minute panel with Sierra Club, Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi, Kamawaelualani & Earthjustice.

  • Combined action alerts generated over 3K public comments

Water Protection - West Kauaʻi

  • Run-off from agrochemical companies, a shrimp farm, landfill, water treatment plant and other operations leasing ADC lands in W. Kauaʻi routinely pollute waters.

  • Amplified Earthjustice & Surfrider’s action alert for NPDES permits to address pollution flowing from ADC Mānā lands/and ditches into the W. Kauaʻi waters.

  • Awaiting decision-making 

Six images showing river discharges and spills related to wastewater treatment. The first two images depict the Cox Drain discharging contaminated water into the ocean near Makua, with different angles. The next two images show a second ditch discharging polluted water into the ocean at Kīkīaola Harbor, with view angles from Makua seawards. The last two images are from a 2024 wastewater spill in Waimea, showing the contaminated water flowing into the ocean, one near a tree and the other with a 'Keep Out' sign.