THE KOHALA CENTER: Employment/Opportunities/Events

Employment

Kohala Food Hub is hiring a market associate
Kohala Food Hub is looking for a market associate to help with packing, portioning, pickup and deliveries, customer service, light admin work, and more. This position will be hired through Kupu ‘Āina Corps. View the job description here.

HIP Ag is hiring a part-time nursery technician
The Hawaiʻi Institute of Pacific Agriculture (HIP Ag) is seeking a nursery technician to support plant propagation, compost and biochar production, and on-farm soil health and agroforestry efforts as part of their Soil Conservation Project. View the job description online.

The Kohala Center is hiring a mahiʻāina specialist
The Kohala Center (TKC) is hiring a mahiʻāina specialist who is responsible for the long-term development and daily care of a 60-acre ʻili ʻāina nāhelehele, or native forested land division in Kawaihae-uka. This position supports TKC’s native seed bank, nursery, and planting efforts to include hosting learning and stewardship experiences, providing ongoing facilities operations and maintenance, and mālama ʻāina responsibilities. Visit our Career Center for more information and to apply.

The Kohala Center is hiring a donor and volunteer engagement specialist
The Kohala Center is hiring a donor and volunteer engagement specialist who is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with supporters who contribute financially and/or donate their time. This position is based in Waimea with occasional travel to TKC-stewarded ʻāina in North Kohala, Honokaʻa, and Kahaluʻu. Visit our Career Center for more information and to apply.

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Opportunities

USDA FSA Emergency Conservation Assistance available
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting applications across Hawaiʻi for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to address damages from the Kona Low Storms that occurred March 10–March 24. ECP provides cost-share and technical assistance to producers to restore farmland to pre-disaster conditions. Approved ECP applicants can receive up to 75% of the cost of the approved restoration activity with a maximum cost share of $500,000 per natural disaster event. Approved ECP practices include removing debris from farmland; grading, shaping and releveling; replacing or repairing permanent fences; and restoring conservation structures. Contact your local FSA office for more information. Signup closes June 1.

Apply for a property tax remission for storm damage
If your land is damaged by a natural disaster, you may be eligible for a property tax remission, which is a reduction or refund of your property taxes. Damage to land, buildings, or structures is eligible. Apply by June 30 on your county’s website: Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaiʻi.

Free soil and plant testing following storm impacts
UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR)’s dean is planning to offer three months of free soil and plant testing to farmers impacted by the recent Kona low storms. Tests will be conducted by the college’s Agricultural Diagnostic Service Center (ADSC) and include soil and plant tissue nutrient analysis, plant disease diagnostics, and insect pest identification. Interested farmers on Hawaiʻi Island may contact Bruce Mathews at bmathews@hawaii.edu. More information on the ADSC’s website.

Deadline extended: USDA grant assistance for specialty crop farmers
USDA’s $1 billion Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program provides one-time payments to producers impacted by market disruptions, rising input costs, inflation, and increased foreign competition. The program supports a wide range of specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, coffee, sweet potato, kalo, ʻulu, and other Hawaiʻi-grown crops. Payments will be based on reported 2025 planted acres. Producers must submit their 2025 acreage report to the Farm Service Agency (FSA) by April 24. For questions and to report acreage, contact your local FSA office.

Kūlana ʻĀina–Business Development workshop series
Kūlana ʻĀina is an Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) food systems initiative supporting Native Hawaiians in strengthening skills, growing enterprises, and expanding opportunity across Hawaiʻi’s food economy. The Business Development series is a free, five-week workshop series running May 16–June 11 for early-stage Native Hawaiian food product and service entrepreneurs. Learn and apply business development practices rooted in ʻŌiwi values to help increase your sales while serving your communities and growing your network. Apply by April 26.

Apply for the Ahupuaʻa Systems Apprenticeship
Hoʻokuaʻāina in partnership with Windward Community College is accepting applications for the next cohort of the Ahupuaʻa Systems Apprenticeship. Accepted participants will have their tuition paid for and can earn up to $4,500 in stipends per year for two years, leaving with an associate’s degree and an ahupuaʻa systems certificate. Apply by May 24.

Second batching period open for Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) 
CRP provides financial and technical support to landowners who voluntarily convert unproductive or marginal land to beneficial vegetative cover for a period of 10–15 years. Continuous CRP participants voluntarily offer environmentally sensitive lands, typically smaller parcels than offered through General CRP including wetlands, riparian buffers, and varying wildlife habitats. In return, they receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource-conserving vegetative cover. Contact your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office for more information.

USDA Value-Added Producer Grant applications open
The USDA Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) is now accepting applications to support farmers and ranchers interested in developing new products, expanding marketing opportunities, and increasing farm income through value-added activities such as processing, packaging, branding, and marketing. The FY2026 application window is currently open. Proposals must be submitted through the USDA Grant Application Portal by 1:00 p.m. ET on April 22, 2026. Planning grants of up to $50,000 and working capital grants of up to $200,000 are available with a 1:1 match requirement. Learn more about the program including funding eligibility and program overview here.

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Events

Webinar: Talking to your lenders and funders after the Kona low
Friday, April 17 • 5–6:30 p.m. (via Zoom)
Join Agriculture Stewardship Hawaiʻi and GoFarm for a free virtual workshop designed for Hawaiʻi producers navigating storm recovery. The webinar will share practical strategies and ready-to-use communication templates to help reach out to lenders and grant funders, request accommodations, and keep loan and grant projects on track.
»Register online

Workshop: Calving and grazing management
Saturday, April 18 • 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Mealani Research Station, 64-289 Māmalahoa Hwy, Waimea, Hawaiʻi Island (map)
UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR) is holding a workshop on calving and grazing management in the field, covering topics such as vaccination protocols for calving, effective grazing management, grass-finished beef production, and body condition score training.
»Register online

Farmers’ healing sessions
Various dates in April
Zoom and in-person offerings available
UH CTAHR Seeds of Wellbeing is offering a series of healing sessions designed to support, restore, and nurture. From traditional practices to guided conversations, these gatherings are spaces for individuals to reconnect with themselves and others. Upcoming sessions include Navigating Grief and Loss Post Crises on April 23 via Zoom, and Deepening Relationship Skills on April 30 in Makiki, Oʻahu. To register, email SOW.CTAHR@gmail.com.
»More information

Three-part workshop: The ecology of cultivation
Various dates in April–May • 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
One Village Farm, North Kohala, Hawaiʻi Island (address provided with registration)
One Village Farm is offering a three-part introduction to regenerative agriculture, observation, and agroforestry systems. Move beyond individual plants and learn to understand landscapes as living systems–where soil, water, biodiversity, and human intention interact in dynamic ways. Participants may attend a single workshop or the full three-part series.
»Register online

Webinar: Farm succession and land transition
Monday, April 20 • 5:30–7 p.m. (via Zoom)
This webinar from GoFarm will introduce key concepts in farm succession planning, including family and non-family transition options, tools for transferring land and farm businesses, and resources available to Hawaiʻi farmers and landowners. It will also highlight GoFarm’s land matching services and strategies to help keep farmland in agriculture.
»Register online

Webinar: Hawaiʻi GroupGAP
Wednesday, April 22 • 12–1 p.m. (via Zoom)
This webinar from North Shore EVP will provide an overview of GroupGAP, USDA’s food safety certification program. Learn how Hawaiʻi farms and food hubs can benefit from certification and how to apply.
»Register online

Webinar: Managing water risk
Monday, April 27 • 5:30–7 p.m. (via Zoom)
This webinar from GoFarm will introduce practical water conservation strategies for farms, including traditional approaches like mulching and soil health management as well as modern irrigation technologies such as sensors, timers, and automated systems.
»Register online

Workshop series: Hāmākua Homesteading
Various dates in April–May
Laupāhoehoe Library, 35-2065 Old Māmalahoa Hwy, Laupāhoehoe, Hawaiʻi Island (map)
The Hāmākua Homestead series includes Monday evening lectures on permaculture design, building a powerful brand, and cacao farming, as well as a Saturday garden tour.
»More information

Workshop: How to market your food business
Saturday, May 2 • 1–3 p.m.
Kohala Food Hub, 55-230 Hōʻea Rd, Hāwī, Hawaiʻi Island (map)
Join Kohala Food Hub and Katie Neil of Hoʻōla Farms for a workshop on social media strategy, brand storytelling, content creation, and customer engagement. Learn to identify your target market and build an effective marketing plan.
»Register online

Two-part Diversified Farm Design course
Saturday, May 9 • 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Saturday, May 23 • 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Starseed Ranch, 52-4700 ʻAkoni Pule Hwy, Kapaʻau, Hawaiʻi Island (map)
HIP Ag is offering a hands-on, two-part Diversified Farm Design course focused on building resilient, diversified farms using agro-ecological principles. Taught by Zach Mermel from Ola Design Group, participants will learn site analysis, goal setting, and develop a personalized farm design and implementation plan. Fee is $250, but free for eligible participants, including veteran farmers and those from historically underserved communities.
»Apply online