Land Access Webinar series presented through a collaboration with GoFarm and Feed the Hunger Fund.

Session #1 (11/8/2023)
Acquiring Access to Farmland in Hawai’i: Land Purchase


Session #2 (11/15/2023)
Acquiring Access to Farmland in Hawai’i: Land Leases


Previous Land Access Webinars

Visit Love Big Island for a list of farmers markets County wide.

Hawai’i Department of Health - Food Information

Starting a Homemade Food Operation

FSMA

About 48 million people in the U.S. (1 in 6) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die each year from foodborne diseases, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a significant public health burden that is largely preventable.

The Food Safety Modernization Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama on January 4, 2011.

The FSMA has given the Food and Drug Administration new authority to regulate the way foods are grown, harvested and processed.

FSMA is transforming the nation’s food safety system by shifting the focus from responding to foodborne illness to preventing it.

Rules and Programs

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) audits are voluntary audits that verify that fruits and vegetables are produced, packed, handled, and stored to minimize risks of microbial food safety hazards. GAP audits verify adherence to the recommendations made in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (pdf)

In 2021, USDA performed GAP audits in 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada, covering over 90 commodities.