Hawaiʻi veterans looking to start or grow a farm can get vital farming and business skills training along with well-being support through a new project supported by a $750,000 grant to University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience GoFarm Hawaiʻi.
GoFarm Hawaiʻi is partnering with several organizations to provide the new training program, including Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Pacific, which moved in August from University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo to College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience.
The 3-year training project will provide agricultural and farm business education and support to 600 aspiring veteran farmers. The program also will help start, maintain or improve 25 veteran-operated farms through technical assistance, business consulting and accessing U.S. Department of Agriculture resources.
In-person activities will focus on Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island.
The grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture supports the partnership between GoFarm Hawaiʻi’s beginning farmer training program, Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Pacific, Seeds of Wellbeing and Cooperative Extension.
“The support and warm welcome from the dean and the college’s faculty and staff made it easy to become part of the [College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience] ʻohana,” said Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Pacific Director Lori Hiramatsu. “Our missions align, and we can create synergy for the community of veteran agricultural entrepreneurs.”
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience Dean Parwinder Grewal said bringing the center into the college is part of a strategy to provide business skills to Hawaiʻi farmers and increase local food production.
“Combining farm production science with essential business, financial and entrepreneurial skills creates a pathway for our military veterans to succeed,” Grewal added.
The outreach center is funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and provides free business training and counseling, including Boots to Business and Reboot workshops.
It is based at Mānoa Innovation Center and aimed at serving transitioning servicemembers, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, military spouses and widows throughout Hawaiʻi, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa.
