Hawaii , Jan. 16, 2006 ……….The Rural Economic Transition Assistance – Hawaii Program (RETAH-II) recently completed contracting with seven Hawaii agribusinesses for a total of almost $1.7 million under the innovative program, a brainchild of Senator Dan Inouye as a partnership between the US Department of Defense, the US Department of Agriculture and Hawaii-based private sector management.

The program is operated by the Economic Development Alliance of Hawaii (EDAH) which is a statewide umbrella organization for the four private non-profit economic development boards.

The EDAH Board issued its first annual “EDAH gift basket” during the holidays as a sample of Hawaii ’s bounty. Said Program Oversight Committee Chair Monty Richards, “These are the “First Fruits” of the new Rural Economic Transition Assistance Hawaii Program (RETAH-II), and represent almost 100 years in agricultural industry by the participants.” The program is now in its second phase with seven projects on four islands.

Richard and June Ha’s new HAMAKUA SPRINGS tomatoes, nurtured along the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii Island, where their renowned 400+ acre Mauna Kea Banana farm provides prosperity to their 85 employees and national market.
Rodney and Karol Haraguchi, whose three-generation HARAGUCHI FARMS in Hanalei, Kauai yields its specialty taro products to alleviate the shortage of lo’i taro around the state.
Nancy Gove and Cameron Hiro, whose partnership has forged HAWAII KAI SALT FARMS of Molokai, for their award-winning black (iron), red (alae) and pure white sea salts to a sophisticated world market.
MAUI COFFEE FARMS, and owner Kimo Faulkner, who is revitalizing one of Hawaii ’s finest organic coffee crops in Lahaina to provide a new coffee product, with the first crop due next summer.
L&R FARMS of Molokai – sweet potato and yam chips make a colorful, healthy Hawaiian snack, grown and processed by family members Lynn and Russell DeCoite in Molokai, and soon available statewide.
OILS OF ALOHA of Waialua – Dana & Barbara Gray have manufactured the familiar kukui and macadamia nut oils for years, and now are creating new products to help burn victims heal.
Jim Trump’s organic ISLAND HARVEST macadamia nut farm in North Kohala will provide certified organic products to the national and international market.

The RETAH-II Program is also in its second funding round and recently reviewed 57 new concepts. Full proposals have now been invited for the review and selection process for 2006. The second round of funding will be announced (pending federal confirmation) in April of 2006.

This new iteration of the RETAH-II Program was developed from an earlier program which provided support to statewide agricultural diversification efforts following plantation shutdowns in the early 1990s. The original program eventually managed more than $20 million for 98 separate projects benefiting some 1500 employees and entrepreneurs on 14,000 acres of former sugar lands. Of the original projects approximately 80% are still in operation. Chair Richards noted, “Nobody’s a millionaire, but we’ve done some good and kept the land in local hands and diversified our agricultural operations.”

The present Oversight Committee, in addition to Chair Monty Richards, are Bert Hatton (Estate of James Campbell), Stephanie Saito (Bank of Hawaii), Robin Danner (Native Hawaiian Advisory Council) and Kelvin Taketa (Hawaii Community Foundation). Program management is provided by Program Director Susan Matsushima, and EDAH CEO Paula Helfrich.

Photography is available upon request. For further information:

Susan Matsushima – 225-5777 Paula Helfrich – 989-1899

alluvio@aloha.net