The Food Basket announces Mālama Da Farmer grant awardees

The Food Basket, Hawaiʻi Island’s food bank, is proud to announce the 2025 Mālama Da Farmer Grant Program awards.

These grants are designed to support and scale up local food production around Hawaiʻi Island, empowering farmers, ranchers and food producers to expand operations and strengthen Hawaiʻi’s food security.

This year’s Mālama Da Farmer grants totaled $710,000 awarded to 32 local producers who demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainable agriculture and expanding food production.

The 2025 awardees are:

• Adaptations Inc.
• Aileen Lubong, Sweet Treats and Gifts.
• Alla Kostenko, Wood Valley Coffee Farm.
• Aloha Spirits of Hawaiʻi Farm & Craft Distillery LLC.
• Ancient Leaf Tea LLC.
• Aoha Paisas Coffee LLC.
• Derrick Araki, Big Island Farms.
• Derek Von Gnechten.
• Family Farm Inc.
• Hawaiʻi Institute of Pacific Agriculture.
• Hoʻola Honey LLC.
• Karen A Thom Peaceful Farms.
• KC Ranch.
• Kealaola Farm LLC.
• Kristen Kunzer-Adair, Dam Fine Farms.
• L & L Livestock Company LLC.
• Mauna Kea Trading Company LLC.
• Melanie Bondera, Kanalani Ohana Farm.
• Michael McCann, McCann Farm.
• Naaman Toko.
• Ocean Era LLC.
• Ohana Mac Nut Farm LLC.
• OK Farms LLC.
• Punachicks Farm LLC.
• Puʻu Pale Ranch LLC.
• Rainbow Island Produce LLC.
• Richard Kodani.
• Rincon Family Farm Inc.
• Robert Terukina, T7 Farms.
• Spicy Ninja Sauce LLC.
• Sweet Cane Cafe LLC.
• William Whittle, Whittle Farms.

These awardees reflect the rich agricultural diversity of Hawaiʻi Island — from ranching and beekeeping to aquaculture, fruit, vegetable and specialty crop farming — and play a critical role in building a more self-reliant and sustainable food economy.

“This grant program is part of The Food Basket’s mission to uplift local agriculture and reduce food insecurity,” said The Food Basket Food Hub Development Specialist Alexandra Haban in the grant awardees announcement. “Through this collaboration with [Hawaiʻi County], we are helping empower our local producers with the tools they need to upscale their production, while strengthening our island’s food security.”

The Mālama Da Farmer grants are one component of a wider effort to support local farmers through infrastructure improvements, market expansion and long-term sustainability planning.

This initiative is administered by The Food Basket in collaboration with Hawaiʻi County Department of Research and Development under the Local Food Producer Expansion Program, which was funded through the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act.

Visit The Food Basket website for additional information about Mālama Da Farmer and the Local Food Producer Expansion Program.