WEST HAWAII TODAY
Tourists peruse the Kona Farmers Market in April 2021. A letter writer says passing another tourist tax will bring more harm than benefit.
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There is no agenda more important to this coming year’s legislative session than creating a food security program for the more than 1 million people who live in Hawaii. Continuing to roll the dice and depend on the container ships to supply 80% of our food, as we see our local food production dwindle, is gross negligence.
In the past 50 years the number of people on Oahu has doubled. Today, our stores only hold about a 14-day supply of food. What is our state plan when the container ships are interrupted by a strike, hurricane, tsunami or earthquake?
Our state legislators should require all levels of government to buy most of our food locally. This artificial market will increase the cost of our food. The increased price is the cost of our shipping interruption insurance, restarting our local food production and the beginning of a food security program.
John Brizdle
Hawaii Kai
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