Impact Summary

Early surveys report over $18 million and growing in agricultural damage statewide, with Oahu farms bearing the heaviest brunt, reporting over $8.5 million in losses. Out of 6,500+ farms in Hawaii only 300 farms have summitted damage reports.

The agricultural devastation is most severe across the Waialua and Mokulēʻia corridors in our North Shore community, where fertile fields turn into expansive mudflats and drowned livestock.

• In Waialua , the overflowing Paukauila and Kaukonhua streams submerged approximately 400 acres of diversified crops under feet of "thick, smelly" red silt, wiping out entire harvests of leafy greens and cacao overnight.

• Mahiko Farm Lots of Mokulēʻia , the infrastructure damage is catastrophic; residents and farmers remain partially cut off by debris.

The heroic volunteer efforts seen today in Waialua and Mokulēʻia will quickly turn to complex, capital-intensive work of long-term agricultural recovery.

Overview of Response

In response to the recent major flooding on the North Shore of Oahu, we are recommending organizing a support effort for impacted farms through two coordinated channels:

FarmToYou

• Offer the FarmToYou.co platform with free setup support and use of its tools

• Support decentralized coordination by helping farms independently manage volunteer needs, donations, updates, and recovery activity: video

• Volunteer directory via an intake workflow to identifying needed skills and availability

• Grief counseling and other farm support access for farmers

North Shore Chamber of Commerce

• Serve as the nonprofit avenue for donations and distribution of funds (farm funds will be raised and managed separately from general fundraising efforts)

• Promote awareness, volunteer opportunities, and economic recovery

The goal is to make sure support reaches farms in a way that is organized, transparent, and responsive to each farm’s actual needs for the near- and longer-term future.

Our Focused Efforts

Currently, farms are in the immediate aftermath of the flooding, focused on urgent and critical needs including cleanup and coordinated volunteer support. At the same time, the next phases are quickly approaching as farms move from damage assessment into action, stabilization, replanting, and the longer path back to harvest.

• Volunteers
• PPE & boots
• Debris removal & access

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• Site assessments
• Heavy equipment
• Rebuild coordination

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• Seedlings & nursery

• Soil recovery

• Farm restart support

  • These are examples of potential needs as farms assess impact and identify actual recovery priorities.

Beyond these recovery phases, supporting farms in their economic recovery and long-term strengthening will become the top priority.

How People Can Help

Support may include:

• Volunteering time

• Offering specialized skills

• Donating funds

• Providing equipment, supplies, or services

• Supporting specific farms through different phases of recovery

Volunteer & Support Intake Form

Help us connect you with the farm or recovery efforts that best fit your support by filling out this form.

Needs

Examples of needs that may arise across recovery, rebuild, and replanting phases.

• Grief counselors
• Volunteer coordination
• Equipment
• Logistics coordination
• Community outreach
• Administrative support
• Communication support

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• PPE (rubber boots, gloves, etc…)
• Tools
• Materials for erosion control, access, and rebuild
• Materials for replanting
• Seedlings and nursery support

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• Front-end loaders
• Excavators
• Dozers
• Dump & flatbed trucks
• Pumping support
• Transfer pumps
• Hauling and debris removal