Lānaʻi Chapter
A Chapter of Hawai'i Farmers Union United
Our chapter's mission is to advocate for the sovereign right of farmers, ranchers, and fishers on Lānaʻi to create and sustain vibrant and prosperous agricultural communities for the benefit of Lānaʻi and all Hawai'i through cooperation, education and legislation.
Cooperation
Our chapter works with our school, county, state and land owner to support and promote Lānaʻiʻs agriculture
Maui County Department of Agriculture (MDOA)
Maui County Council Member, Lānaʻi Rep.
Chair of the Agriculture, Diversification, Environment, and Public Transportation Committee.
CTAHR - College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
Lānaʻi High & Elementary School
Education
Farmer Training
Farm Apprentice Mentoring Program - New cohorts applications accepted Oct/Nov
CTAHR Extension Agents - ongoing visits to Lānaʻi. Check "Events"
Educating Our Young
Student Internships through STEMWorks
4-H Kaunaʻoa
Legislation
Subscribe to the HFUU Newsletter to receive notices so you can make your voice heard on agricultural policy in the state legislature.
Meetings
Events
Maui Nui Food Alliance (MNFA) Community Listening Session
Thurs, March 7, 3-7pm (tent.)
Filipino Club House
(450 Jacaranda St. )
CTAHR Extension Agents - Grafting Avocados workshop (TBA)
Chapter Projects
Tool Library: Mower, Trencher, Generator, Biochar
Development of the Lānaʻi Grown Brand
Our Chapter Leaders
President
Negus MannaA farmer on Lāna’i, is known simply as Manna (Mana). He has been continuously studying agriculture in the Hawaiian Islands and has several years of growing experience within Maui, Oahu, and Lāna’i.
Manna is a graduate of the 2021 Farming Apprentice Mentorship (FAM) program spearheaded by the Hawaii Farmers Union United (HFUU) with a focus on regenerative and organic farming. Before that, he earned a degree from the University of Hawaii-Manoa campus in Interdisciplinary Sustainability Studies with a focus on environmental sciences and policy.
Manna is interested in being a catalyst for positive change in Hawaii’s food system by supporting our local farmers with unique and emancipated concepts that benefit our community's future developments.
Vice-President
Michele WeinhouseMichele's family has been on Lānaʻi for three generations. Her grandparents immigrated to Hawaiʻi finally landing on Lānaʻi to pick pineapples. She lived a short time with her grandparents on Lānaʻi but mostly grew up in California and the Philippines. Michele is formerly trained as a medicinal chemist and is new to farming, a recent graduate of the 2023 Farming Apprentice Mentorship (FAM) program. While teaching Natural Resources at Lānaʻi High School during COVID, she became aware and affected by Hawaiʻi's food insecurity problems on Lānaʻi. Determined to be a part of the solution, she established Kapua's Farm Lānaʻi to regeneratively grow food for her community.
Michele is determined to create a stronger, sustainable and more resilient agricultural community on Lānaʻi and bring Lānaʻi grown produce to its most vulnerable community members.