|
|
Aloha kākou,
As we enter the season of mahalo, this month’s newsletter highlights how DBEDT and our partners are turning plans into results for Hawaiʻi. From breaking ground on the Central Oʻahu Agriculture and Food Hub to expanding access to clean energy and financing through the Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority, we are strengthening local food systems, helping families and small businesses manage energy costs and creating spaces for innovation in agriculture and energy.
We are also focused on people and pathways. Take an Educator to Work Day and Good Jobs Hawaiʻi’s creative industries training connect educators, students and jobseekers with real career opportunities in tourism, clean energy, film and television. Engage.Hawaii.gov and the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority’s 2026 partnership opportunities give residents and businesses clear ways to stay informed and get involved in ways that shape Hawaiʻi’s future.
During this Thanksgiving season, I am grateful for our DBEDT team, our partners across the public and private sectors and the communities we serve.
Mahalo for your continued support of DBEDT’s work to expand opportunities for Hawaiʻi’s people, communities and businesses.
Me ke aloha,
James Kunane Tokioka
|
|
|
|
Central Oʻahu Agriculture and Food Hub Breaks Ground
|
|
|
|
Credit: Agribusiness Development Corporation / University of Hawai‘i Community Design Center
|
|
DBEDT and the Agribusiness Development Corporation broke ground on the new Central Oʻahu Agriculture and Food Hub in Wahiawā on Nov. 14. The Whitmore Village complex will serve as an innovation base for processing and distributing local food at commercial scale, connecting farmers to markets and supporting a new Central Oʻahu Regional Kitchen that links local farms to public school cafeterias. The project advances statewide goals to strengthen food security, expand agricultural production and build Hawaiʻi’s food and product innovation workforce.
|
|
|
Reverse Coffee Mission Strengthens Global Partnerships
|
|
|
From Oct. 26 through Nov. 1, 17 industry professionals, including 11 international buyers and six staff members, traveled to Hawai‘i Island for the Reverse Coffee Mission. Organized by the Synergistic Hawai‘i Agriculture Council, the Hawai‘i Coffee Association and the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the program brought key buyers from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Macau, Taipei and Kaohsiung to experience the quality and craftsmanship behind Hawai‘i coffee.
The itinerary included visits to Hala Tree Kona Coffee, Kona Crown Coffee, Big Island Coffee Roasters and other farms in Kona, Hilo and Ka‘ū. Participants saw production from farm to cup, learned about growing and harvesting practices, joined cupping sessions, observed the official certification process and gained a deeper understanding of Hawai‘i’s growing conditions and sustainable farming methods.
Two business events brought local producers and international buyers together to discuss sourcing needs, pricing and long-term supply. The mission strengthened relationships between Hawai‘i coffee producers and overseas markets and highlighted Hawai‘i coffee as a premium product with strong potential for future growth in international trade.
|
|
|
Legislators Tour HGIA-Financed Projects Across Oʻahu
|
|
|
State legislators joined the Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority for site visits to HGIA-financed projects on Oʻahu. Senator Glenn Wakai, Senator Lynn DeCoite, Representative Nicole Lowen, Representative Cory Chun, Representative Matthias Kusch and HGIA chair and DBEDT director James Kunane Tokioka met with project partners and saw how HGIA financing supports housing, small businesses and local food systems.
The tour started at Farm Link Hawaiʻi, a borrower under the federally funded State Small Business Credit Initiative Hawaiʻi Capital Collateral Support Program, which is helping the company expand access to local food while addressing gaps in access to capital. Then the group visited Kahauiki Village and Kunia Village, where HGIA’s Green Energy Money $aver program has financed solar PV installations that reduce energy bills for affordable housing residents. They also toured Honolulu Cookie Company and Highway Inn, two small businesses using Green Energy Money $aver financing to lower electricity costs.
The visit highlighted how HGIA programs advance clean energy goals, support business growth and promote energy equity.
|
|
|
Take an Educator To Work Day Links Teachers and Local Careers
|
|
|
On Oct. 17, more than 500 public school teachers from the Radford Complex on O‘ahu participated in Take an Educator to Work Day, a workforce training event organized by the Hawai‘i nonprofit ClimbHI. The day brought K-12 educators to nearly two dozen employers for site visits, hands-on activities and conversations about current and future job needs in Hawai‘i.
The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, NELHA/HOST Park, the Creative Industries Division and the Hawai‘i State Energy Office hosted teachers and shared how tourism, clean energy, technology and creative sectors support the state’s economy. Staff highlighted skills students need for those careers, including strong reading, writing and math, comfort with digital tools and workplace habits such as clear communication, teamwork and problem solving. The effort supports statewide goals to address Hawai‘i’s long-standing “brain drain,” where many young residents leave the islands for college and careers on the continent.
The event also introduced teachers to ClimbHI’s year-round workforce resources, including Exposureships, Hiring Blitzes, the spring LEI program and the ClimbHI Bridge online portal. Educators and employers who want to join future activities should visit ClimbHI Bridge to connect with workforce development and classroom engagement opportunities.
|
|
|
Good Jobs Hawaiʻi Safety Training Prepares Residents for Film and TV Crew Work
|
|
Hawaiʻi residents interested in film and television production have a new pathway into union crew work through Good Jobs Hawaiʻi and DBEDT’s Creative Industries Division. Foundational Safety Level 1 training at Honolulu Community College runs Jan. 12 to Feb. 7, 2026, covering scaffolding, fall protection, aerial lifts, OSHA 10 and CPR/First Aid/AED. Participants who complete Level 1 interview with a local entertainment industry partner, with union membership and advanced training support available for those hired. Eligible students receive full tuition support, and registration is open through Dec. 19, 2025, at the Good Jobs Hawaiʻi website.
|
|
|
The State of Hawai‘i’s Operation Hire Hawai‘i (OH-HI) is making it easier and faster to start or continue a career in public service. This statewide hiring initiative connects job seekers with opportunities across multiple industries by expediting applications and referrals.
If you’re passionate about economic development, DBEDT is actively hiring! Join our team and help shape Hawai‘i’s future.
|
|
|
|
CZM Completes 2025 Ocean Resources Management Plan Evaluation & Refresh
|
|
|
CZM recently completed the 2025 ORMP Evaluation & Refresh. At the midpoint of the ORMP’s 10-year implementation phase, this effort reviews progress since the plan’s launch, identifies ongoing and emerging challenges and highlights opportunities to strengthen collaboration.
The Refresh documents progress in the plan’s three Focus Areas and sets priorities for the years ahead. The evaluation also points to the need for continued action on issues such as cesspool conversion, watershed coordination and wetland management. Stronger collaboration, better alignment across agencies and expanded funding will be key to advancing the ORMP vision.
Guided by traditional knowledge, contemporary science and a commitment to collective action, the 2025 ORMP Evaluation & Refresh will help keep Hawaiʻi’s ocean and coasts healthy for current and future generations.
|
|
|
New Engage Hawaiʻi Website Invites Public Input on Army Land Leases
|
|
|
Governor Josh Green has launched Engage.Hawaii.gov, a new website that gives residents a direct way to weigh in on major statewide issues. Its first priority is the future of U.S. Army land leases in Hawaiʻi, which expire in 2029 and affect communities across the islands as well as military families.
The site offers background information, updates on lease discussions and an online form where residents can share questions, concerns and suggestions. Users can also review key documents and follow how public feedback is used in decision-making. Over time, Engage.Hawaii.gov will expand to cover other statewide initiatives, including the Green Fee, climate resilience, housing and healthcare.
Residents are encouraged to visit Engage.Hawaii.gov, learn more about the Army land leases and share their manaʻo so state leaders hear directly from the community as negotiations move forward.
|
|
|
HTA Partnership Opportunities Available for 2026
|
|
|
As businesses plan their 2026 marketing, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority’s global marketing team has a range of partnership opportunities in consumer, travel trade and meetings marketing. Options include digital and social media campaigns, public relations activities, travel trade education and meeting sales programs that support mindful travel to Hawaiʻi.
A searchable list of 2026 partnership opportunities by region and program type is available to help businesses identify options that align with their marketing plans for the year.
|
|
|
For more on DBEDT and its divisions and attached agencies, please visit dbedt.hawaii.gov
Below are links to more news from DBEDT’s core divisions, attached agencies and related programs:
|
|
|
|
|
|
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability
for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this
article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
