Join Us Thursday, July 13th!

• Robert King is president of Pacific Biodiesel, the renewable energy company he founded in 1995. A certified diesel mechanic with a background in agricultural engineering, King is spearheading the company’s many sustainable, agriculture-related projects including farming biofuel crops such as sunflowers on 115 acres in Maui’s Central valley, and testing agriculture crops as a potential year-round feedstock for producing biodiesel. His company is also exploring innovative ways to turn agriculture waste into useful products that can create new revenue streams for farmers, such as recycling waste papaya to grow algae for use as feed for local aquaculture and livestock.
• Rob Weltman is a lifelong environmentalist, currently chairperson of Sierra Club Maui Group and board member of Kihei Community Association. He is a retired software engineer and helps a number of non-profits on Maui manage their digital presence and outreach. Weltman and Franco will discuss a new community coalition called “Hukilike No Maui: Together for Maui,” which aims to bring the community together to brainstorm how Maui’s former sugar cane lands can be used to address some of the island’s most pressing needs including affordable housing, local food and energy security, and conservation.
• Stan Franco has been an advocate for affordable housing on Maui for 30 years, serving 16 years on human resources for the County and in many non-profit organizations, including the Maui Affordable Housing Alliance, Face Maui, Maui Food Bank, and the Haiku Community Association. Franco has also been involved in the major community planning initiatives on Maui: Decisions Maui, Focus Maui Nui, and the General Plan Advisory Committee for the Maui Island Plan. He has been a Deacon in the Catholic Church for 16 years.

You don’t need to be a farmer to support Hawai'i Farmers Union United. Anyone who is concerned about where our food comes from is welcome. Come network with local producers and talk story about growing one's own food.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a dish to share (to feed six people). Otherwise, cost is $10 for Hawai'i Farmers Union United members; $12 for non-members. This is a waste-free event. Please bring your own plate and utensils, or they will be provided for a fee.

You may become a member at the event, or by visiting HFUUHI.org. Annual membership is $50, or $100 for a family of four.