Jeanné Kapela.

Local farmers are the heartbeat of West Hawai'i. Our farmers grow Hawai'i's most iconic treasures–from Kona Coffee to macademia nuts to fruits and vegetables–that nourish our island home. Yet, the looming threat of climate change threatens to undermine food security for community and wreak havoc on our shores. 

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To combat climate change, I believe we need to establish a Green New Deal for Hawai'i that uplifts workers' prosperity and the well-being of our planet. I will also fight to protect the Kona name from commercial exploitation and secure funding for the research needed to eliminate agricultural infestations, including the coffee berry borer beetle and rat lungworm disease.

 

Finally, as a Native Hawaiian woman, I believe that indigenous cultural practices can pave the way toward a more sustainable use of our precious resources. Therefore, I steadfastly support efforts to defend the Hawaiian heritage from overdevelopment, including on Mauna Kea.