BACKGROUND ON ORIGINAL RETAH-II PROGRAM: “RETA-H” PROJECT

On October 1, 1992, Senator Dan Inouye convened a working group at the old Hamakua Sugar Manager’s office to start planning a new future for diversified agriculture as a “HARVEST OF HOPE”. That was the beginning of the Rural Economic Transition Assistance – Hawaii program, a joint effort between the US Department of Defense and the US Department of Agriculture. The program was chaired by Monty Richards, and the coordination was done by the Small Business Development Center at University of Hawaii at Hilo and the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board.

The RETA-H program eventually worked with more than 90 projects statewide during its ten years, on 120,000 acres of former sugar lands with more than 1200 participants. Some of its “stars” have been Mauna Kea Banana (Richard & June Ha), Hawaii Vanilla (Jim Reddecop), Ka’u Coffee (Brenda Domondon), Alec Sou of Aloun Farms and Larry Jefts on Oahu, Duane Shimokawa and the late Buzz Kaohi on Kauai, Jim Mitnick on Maui, and dozens of new farms and tourism interests in Hawaii-grown agricultural products around the state. The RETA-H program created the “coordinating entrepreneur” model which stands today as a model for sustainable development.

The RETA-H program was followed by other technology-oriented projects, and now in an era when sustainability and food security are important issues, the RETAH-II program has been initiated Apr. 15, 2005 to help build on Hawaii’s natural bounty for future generations.