Kūkākūkā: Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa on Agriculture

Here on the show we are very interested in steps that can be taken to improve the state of agriculture here in Hawaiʻi. Our farmers and food producers face incredible challenges from our natural and economic surroundings. Since this yearʻs state legislative session is over, I had the chance to kukakuka with Kirstin Kahaloa. She represents south Kona and is a member of the house agriculture committee. She introduced the legislation that changed the regulations around what kinds of products local people could make and sell. Before, if you made things like breads, jams and pickled goods, youʻd have to make them in commercial kitchens that were inspected and approved by the Department of Health. But the new regulations were relaxed for goods that didnʻt need to be temperature controlled. A new crop of entrepreneurs have hung shingles advertising things made in their home kitchens. We started our conversation by talking about the changes that have happened since the regulations were updated.