Hawaii Organic Farming Association

Creating a Sustainable Future for Hawaii

  • Organic Marketplace
  • About / Contact
    • Who We Are
    • FAQ
    • Vision, Mission, Values
    • Contact Us
  • Membership
  • Certification
    • Requirements
    • Small Farm Exemption
    • Guides, Educational Materials, and Links
    • Preparing for Inspection
    • Certification FAQ
    • Certification Information
  • Resources
    • Hawaii Resources
    • National Resources
    • World Resources
    • Grants & Funding
    • Seeds
    • Materials
    • Webinars
You are here: Home / About / Contact / Vision, Mission, Values

Vision, Mission, Values

  • Who We Are
  • FAQ
  • Vision, Mission, Values
  • Contact Us

Our Vision is to:

Create a Sustainable Future for Hawaii

Mission

To further organic and sustainable agriculture, land care, and lifestyles in Hawaii, thus giving meaning and life to our state motto:
Ua mau ke ea o ka aina I ka pono “The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness.”

Values

SUSTAINABILITY

  • Moving toward self-sufficiency and food independence for Hawai’i
  • Conserving, maintaining and enhancing Hawaii’s resources
  • Creating harmony and balance between Hawaii’s environment, economy, and people
  • Supporting organic local agriculture


ORGANIC

  • Avoiding the use of harmful chemicals which poison the food we eat, the land we live on, the water we drink, and the air we breathe
  • Sustainable agriculture and land care practice
  • GMO-free


PONO

  • Doing the right thing
  • Taking responsibility
  • Respecting and taking care of the ‘aina
  • Planning for the benefit of future generations

History

The Hawaii Organic Farmers Association (HOFA) was formed in September 1993 in response to the federally mandated Organic Food Production Act (OFPA) of 1990. The purpose of OFPA is to set consistent organic production standards nationwide, and to boost consumer confidence in food claimed to be “organically grown.” Any produce claiming to be “organic” in the USA must be certified as such by a USDA-NOP accredited certification agency.
Hawaii has a long history of feeding her people with an abundance of wholesome, organically grown food. Only in the past century has self-sustaining agriculture been replaced by chemically based monoculture and the importation of basic foods.

Now, in these changing times, Hawaii’s farmers, and her organic farmers in particular, are again looking to supply a great variety of foods to meet the local needs of an expanding health-conscious population.

Purpose

After discontinuing the certification services in 2011, it was necessary to redefine HOFA’s purpose. The outcome is a rejuvenated organization, with ambitious goals and an active board.

Focus on Organic

We are focused on helping the people of Hawaii learn about growing organic food. Both commercial organic growers and back yard gardeners. Soil health is the source of plant health. We work to build and remediate soils. We are also working to help farmers make the transition from conventional to organic agriculture.

Partnerships

In addition, the board has reached out to other organizations to collaborate with, such as the Organic Committee of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and The Kohala Center. HOFA President, Mark Fergusson, is participating in the Organic Industry Advisory Committee that is evaluating the organic industry’s needs in Hawaii. This study will help identify ways in which HOFA can best serve its members and the organic industry. Besides its legislative activities, HOFA is working with organic farmers and other organic farming industry stakeholders to develop an educational program, which will include presentations, assistance with the transition to organic, how to deal with organic products as a retailer, participation in local events, etc.

Membership

To achieve the goals HOFA has set, we need a strong membership base. The more members HOFA has, the louder our voice will be heard. HOFA will be undertaking a membership drive to recruit members from all parts of the organic industry: farmers, processors, distributors, retailers, other industry participants, and consumers.

Name Change

Our aim is to build a broad-based membership organization that effectively represents the industry to the legislature and to the public. The slight change in HOFA’s name from “Farmers” to “Farming” was done to make it clearer that HOFA serves the whole organic industry.

At the same time, we recognize farmers are the backbone of the organic industry and the genesis of HOFA. The name change is intended to reflect the broad scope of the people and stakeholders we serve. Our intent is to respect and build upon the strong foundation laid by HOFA’s founders, and the hard work of the organic farmers, without whom none of this would be possible.

Search the Organic Marketplace

Hawaii Organic Farming Association

Hawaii Organic Farming Association
Hawaii Organic Farming Association4 weeks ago
It’s National AgWeek again, and March 23 has been proclaimed National Agriculture Day. Mahalo to all who produce, process, and feed the nation.
Hawaii Organic Farming Association
   View on Facebook
Hawaii Organic Farming Association
Hawaii Organic Farming Association3 months ago
Our state is still offering the Organic Foods Production tax credit for tax year 2020. For a reminder, this bill was passed in the legislature 5 years ago, and implemented 3 years ago. Very few farmers are aware of its existence. Certified Organic farmers are eligible for up to $50,000 in a non- refundable tax credit. Tax years 2020 and 2021 are the last two years of the credit.
Please remember that you must send the copies of your farm expenses, that are marked paid, by March 31, to:

Hawaii Department of Agriculture
Quality Assurance Division
ATTN: Shelley Choy
1851 Auiki Street
Honolulu, HI 96819-3100
Shelley.n.choy@hawaii.gov
808-832-0676

The person to contact at the Hawaii Department of Taxation, if you have specific tax questions:

Joshua J. Michaels
Administrative Rules Specialist
Department of Taxation
P.O. Box 259, Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 587-1533
Fax: (808) 587-1584
Joshua.j.michaels@hawaii.gov

Below is the link to the HDOA website and the form to send in with your receipts by March 31, 2021. HDOA will sign and stamp a form N-354, send it back to you, so that you can file it with your Hawaii state tax return.
https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/chair/new-agriculture-initiatives/organic-foods-production-tax-credit/
Hawaii Organic Farming Association
Organic Foods Production Tax Credit
Organic Foods Production Tax Credit Information To apply for the Organic Foods Production Tax Credit businesses must complete all parts of the Request for Certification of Organic Foods Production Costs form on company letterhead and return the form to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture at the add...
hdoa.hawaii.gov
5    View on Facebook
Hawaii Organic Farming Association
Hawaii Organic Farming Association4 months ago
Critical notice regarding status change of a previously approved input material.
Agro Gold WS and Weed Slayer, manufactured by Agro Research International LLC, were recently reevaluated and are now PROHIBITED for use in organic crop production. Certified organic operators must discontinue use, remove the products from all OSP material lists, and safely dispose of remaining product.

Oregon Department of Agriculture's ODA Stop Use Notice and CDFA Notices linked below:

https://odanews.wpengine.com/oda-issues-stop-use-notice-on-organic-soil-amendment-product-agro-gold-ws/

https://www.oregon.gov/oda/programs/Pesticides/Documents/2020/PesticideAdvisory121020.pdf

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/press_releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=20-173
2    View on Facebook

organic farm

Effective August 1, 2011, HOFA no longer provides organic certification services.

Learn More about Organic Certification 

Follow Us on Social Media

Facebook Logo Twitter Logo

Search HOFA

Hawaii Organic Farming Association (HOFA)
PO Box 999
Captain Cook, HI 96704
avocado

Copyright © 2021 · Hawaii Organic Farming Association · Log in