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$3.5M in grants to boost food security

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is awarding more than $3.5 million in grants to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture to help promote food security. The funding, made possible through the Micro-Grants for Food Security Program, will provide support for small-scale gardening, herding and livestock operations to increase the quantity and quality of locally grown food in communities experiencing food insecurity, according to a news release from U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono. "Too many families in Hawaii and across the U.S. lack access to affordable, healthy food options within their own communities," Hirono said in a news release Monday. "These grants will help people in Hawaii access more locally-grown food options -- increasing food security across the islands." Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, said the funds can be used to purchase gardening tools or equipment, soil, amendments, seeds, plants, animals, canning equipment, refrigerators/freezers, fencing and vertical farming units, among other things, to help increase food production. The department will do community outreach to decide how to administer funding in areas with high food insecurity.

Starting at $4.62/week.

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