Processing
By 2030, increased square footage and overall accessibility of commercial kitchens and operators to support local food processors and agricultural-related facilities in meeting local food needs.
photo credit: Maui Food Innovation Center
Food processing is
a critical component of the local food system. Food processing in Hawai‘i includes
agriculture-related facilities, dairies, packaging facilities, and commercial
kitchens. Agriculture-related facilities, such as vacuum cooling plants,
slaughterhouses, experimental stations and marshalling yards, serve as centers
for farmers.
Currently, there
are ten facilities, four on Hawai‘i Island (State of Hawaii Agricultural Resource Management Division, 2018). Increasing the number of processing facilities in
Hawai‘i will support the increase of local production, particularly for local
beef and milk.
Commercial kitchens
support small business owners in preparing
high quality foods at a high volume for consumers. Commercial kitchens offer
the required space and professional-grade equipment without disturbing the flow
of traffic around the kitchen to efficiently process food for consumption. Every brick and mortar restaurant is a commercial kitchen but these kitchens are not open to the public. However, there are commercial kitchens for rent for public use. The Pacific Gateway Center on Oahu offers
12,576 square feet of commercial kitchen availability through their 11
commercial kitchens available for hourly rental. These
kitchens are all certified by Hawaiʻi Health Department. The total number of
commercial kitchens and square footage in Hawai‘i
is unknown.
While the goal of
doubling local food is focused on “fresh local” food such as fruits,
vegetables, diary, and proteins, value added products can provide much needed
additional income for food entrepreneurs. Access to commercial kitchens and
processing facilities for smaller farms in a shared cooperative atmosphere
could spur growth, whether it’s through restaurants with down time leasing to
other parties or commercial kitchens built specifically to use on a part time
basis. The total number of commercial kitchens and packaging facilities is not
known, however the Hawai‘i Food Manufacturing Association lists its registered members, and there are 102
food manufacturing companies as of 2018. These companies make “Made in Hawai‘i”
products that may not be made of 100% local products, but are part of the
economic engine to drive growth in the local food market.
Food Safety Modernization Act
Barriers to food
production include changes in regulations and policies. The Food Safety
Modernization Act (FSMA) is one example, which was introduced in 2014 with the
aim of shifting the focus from responding to food contamination to preventing
contamination. The agricultural water requirements will affect local farmers
because the new rules require frequent water testing throughout the year. Other
aspects include biological soil amendments, rules to prevent the contamination
of sprouts, contamination from domestic and wild animals, new requirements for
worker hygiene and health, and new standards on equipment, tools, and
buildings. Small farms in Hawai‘i are likely to struggle with these new
regulations, while larger farms will likely be able to absorb the new costs.
For more details, visit the FDA FSMA Information Page.
Learn More
and Make a Difference
·
Pacific Gateway Center offers 11 certified
kitchens for food preparation https://www.pacificgatewaycenter.org/culinary-kitchen-incubator/
·
To see a plethora of local products, participate
in the 24th Annual Made in HI Festival (August 2018)
·
More information about labelling
Hawaiʻi’s commodities, and ensuring licensure and certification of local brands:
http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/qad/commodities-branch/
·
Food
Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/