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OHA delegation reports from Tacoma: regional kitchens, aquaculture and possible MOUs with DHHL and CTAHR
Summary
OHA leaders who visited Tacoma described site visits to a regional central kitchen and a tribal seafood operation; they flagged opportunities for ag production on OHA lands in Wahiawa, workforce development partnerships and potential MOUs with the University of Hawaii CTAHR and DHHL.
OHA administration reported on a recent leadership trip to Tacoma, Washington, that included visits to a regional central kitchen and the Suquamish tribe’s seafood operations. Administration described potential economic models and partnership opportunities that could inform OHA plans for agricultural production, food processing and aquaculture in Hawaiʻi.
Trip highlights
- Bethel Central Kitchen: delegation observed a model that sources local ingredients for large-scale meal programs; administration noted the state feeds approximately 164,000 meals a day and a nearby regional kitchen’s first phase has a 70,000‑meal goal. The visit underscored opportunities to create stable markets for local farmers (schools, hospitals, corrections, health-care institutions).
- Suquamish Seafood: the tribe’s aquaculture and processing operations—cultivating geoduck, clams and other commodities—were presented as a multimillion-dollar revenue generator. Administration discussed community ownership models and workforce pipelines; staff described a potential model where OHA or DHHL could hold a minority ownership stake with community ownership participation.
- Partnerships and MOUs: administration said preliminary discussions with the University of Hawaiʻi’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) could lead to MOUs that provide land-agent support, training, workforce development and potential revenue-generator pilots for OHA lands in Wahiawa (Whitmore lands).
Why it matters: administration emphasized that OHA holds over 500 acres of ag lands in Wahiawa that are largely not in production; developing local procurement and processing markets, plus workforce pathways, could create steady demand and reduce risk for farmers and new ag ventures on OHA lands.
What comes next
Administration said staff will draft MOUs with CTAHR and DHHL and return to the board with conceptual plans, including a Kukani Loco local master plan that would incorporate ag production and value‑added processing. Trustees asked for further briefings as MOUs and project concepts are developed.
Ending note
Trustees generally welcomed the enterprise-oriented approach and asked administration to continue coordinating with University and DHHL partners and return with specific MOUs and actionable next steps.
