Washington, DC – Today, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology held its first hearing of the 119th Congress with U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) servingas Ranking Member. Nicole Galase, Managing Director of the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, testified as a witness. Both women strongly supported and promoted food producers and conservation programs statewide.
“The weather isn't what it used to be. No matter what you want to call it — climate change, extreme weather, shifting seasons — our producers are living it every day. Longer droughts, harder rains, heatwaves in April, frost in May — it's getting harder to grow the food, fuel and fiber that this country relies on. And that's not a partisan talking point. It's reality for farmers and ranchers across this country,” said Rep. Tokuda during her opening statement, which can be viewed here.
“And let me be clear: this is not about left or right. It's about forward. Whether you're in red states, blue states, purple states or farm country, right in between, producers are not asking for politics. They're asking for access, for flexibility, for conservation tools that make their land more resilient, their water more efficient, and their operations more secure — because their livelihoods, as you all know, depend on it, and so do our nation’s food supply.”
Rep. Tokuda was instrumental in bringing Galase to Congress, marking the first time a Hawaiʻi expert has testified in the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology. Galase spoke to subcommittee members about Hawaiʻi’s unique agriculture and conservation landscape.
“Some of the biggest challenges and threats to our industry come from the loss or conversion of our natural resources. In Hawaiʻi, like many other states, we face a decline in pasture lands. A decline in pasture inevitably leads to a decline in agricultural production, which weakens food security. Our goal is to keep grasslands green. Since our livelihood is made on the land, resource stewardship not only makes good environmental sense, it is economically fundamental. Maintaining robust voluntary conservation programs must remain a top priority for both USDA and this committee. Accomplishing this goal is impossible without the flexibility and attention to locally led decision making. Cattle producers take pride in our efforts to improve the land and are always looking for partnership opportunities,” said Galase during her testimony, which can be viewed here.
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