Kaua'i peep (poultry & EGG education project) will increase the number of, and enhance the success of, kaua?i's beginning EGG farmers and increase their sales through established local access points

The Malama Kauai nonprofit organization will provide poultry and egg education services to 15 socially disadvantaged beginning farmers and ranchers on Kauai, Hawaii through the $283,684 Project Grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture within the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The grant funds the Kauai PEEP (Poultry & Egg Education Project) under the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP, CFDA #10.311) to address gaps in local food production and access on the remote island following disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, Malama Kauai will host 12 educational modules, on-farm site visits, and networking sessions to help participants start or expand egg production businesses. The nonprofit will also develop an educational resource database, establish group purchasing options, and facilitate producer mentoring networks to increase sustainability of Kauai's local food system over the three-year period of performance through August 2024.

Peep will HOST12 2-hour zoom-based educational modules with supplies provided, on-farm site visits and field trips, and meet the farmer q & a sessions for 15 socially disadvantaged beginning farmers/ranchers on the remote island of kaua'i in the state of hawai'i.in 2020, the remote island was faced with bottoming-out markets due to the halt of tourism and disruption of supply chains which import upwards of 85% of the island's food, highlighting an immense need and demand for local eggs. Peep will give beginning farmers the opportunity to meet this need by starting or expanding EGG production on their small farms and distributing the eggs through a guaranteed market with m?lama kaua'i?s food hub and CSA (community supported agriculture) program. Kaua'i lost its livestock cooperative extension agent in 2020, and due to a covid-related hiring freeze IT will likely be years before this position is filled. This nonprofit-led program will help to fill the GAP by addressing the needs of minority beginning farmers and ranchers wishing to expand into EGG production, while simultaneously increasing community access to a locally produced protein. Peep will also create a database of educational materials for future EGG producers in the pacific region, establish collaborative group buying options for feed imports, and develop a farmer network by facilitating introductions between EGG producers which will increase the sustainability of kaua'i's local food system through producer mentorship.