Policy brief calls for expanded county role in addressing food security in Hawaiʻi

A new policy brief from the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice urges leaders on the county level to address food insecurity as federal nutrition programs face significant funding cuts.

The brief, “County Leadership in Combating Food Insecurity: Seizing Local Levers in Uncertain Times,” details how county governments can leverage their unique position to protect residents.

According to a recent Hawaiʻi Foodbank report cited in the brief, Maui County households experience the second-highest levels of food insecurity in the state, with 41% of residents reporting difficulty accessing enough food.

The Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center brief comes as recent federal legislation, H.R.1, eliminated funding for SNAP-Education, which puts county Food Access Coordinator positions at risk. These roles, established in each county in 2018, have supported food system planning, disaster response coordination and community needs assessments. The policy group said communities may lose “the backbone of their local food security infrastructure” due to the federal funding cuts.

“The crisis is clear: federal supports are receding just as local need is soaring,” said Genevieve Mumma, food policy analyst at Hawaiʻi Appleseed. “Counties are no longer just partners in food security—they are becoming essential first responders. This brief highlights some ways counties are already stepping up to meet the need, and provides a roadmap for how county agencies, from Emergency Management to Parks and Recreation, can use existing resources and authority to fill the gaps.”