Business View Magazine March 2023

136 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 3 years for permitting for renewable energy, and we think that’s unfortunate given that the cost of electricity is so high,” shares Zirbel. “If they want to be able to install solar or other renewable energy options, we think they should be able to do that at a much faster pace because energy prices are another contributing factor to the rising cost of food. We are also supporting initiatives to expand the Manufacturing Development Grant Program to fund renewable energy and other wonderful initiatives to reduce the cost of investing in renewable energy such as ‘Power Move’, a program put forward by Hawaii Energy (which Zirbel is on the Strategic Advisory Board).” Zirbel acknowledges that the tremendous regulatory burden that exists in Hawaii was not created overnight, representing “a harder nut to crack” for the HFIA than for other national food industry trade associations. “It’s kind of ingrained in what’s already part of our system and, obviously, the cost of labor, the cost of doing business, the cost of real estate, it’s all much higher in Hawaii than pretty much anywhere else in the U.S,” she says. “That all adds to the cost of local food. By addressing factors that we can control such as taxes, government funding mechanisms, energy policy, and workforce development, we can bring Hawaii closer to the strong, sustainable, and resilient food supply chain our residents deserve.” The HFIA is incorporating more sustainability and resiliency into the fabric of the food industry using research-based evidence to inspire effective action to combat the scourge of food insecurity. “There’s been a recent study out of Cornell University that revealed how food taxes are directly linked to food insecurity. We think that’s a powerful reason to reconsider taxing groceries. At our annual board meeting, we collected valuable data on what is holding companies back from utilizing more renewable energy in their businesses. With this information, we were able to develop a plan of attack for how we can make renewable energy more affordable and attainable for the food industry. “If these efforts are successful, we will not only increase the operational resilience of the food supply chain, but we will also lower the cost of food for everyone. The cost of energy in this state is astronomical, and grocery stores require a lot of energy to power their refrigerated and frozen spaces. Anything we can do to make the entire food supply chain more resilient to grid disruption is something we want to investigate.” “As Hawaii becomes more and more vulnerable to extreme weather events we hope that community stakeholders and government leaders take the need to address food security, energy resilience, and food supply chain workforce shortages seriously,” Zirbel states. HFIA looks forward to promoting the strength, sustainability, and resilience of the food supply chain in Hawaii for another 50 years and hopes you will join them in their mission. To find out more information and membership, events, and more click here: www.hawaiifood.com.