Molokai Livestock Cooperative Offers Food From Your Own Backyard

grow, MLC will become self-sufficient. Food processing farms and facilities are having trouble staying afloat in Hawaii because of security and health safety costs. Earlier this month for example, Maui lost its last on-island egg provider, and cited the cost of having health inspectors come in to oversee production as the reason for closing. The FDA does provide MLC with a certain number of free hours every week, but every minute beyond that time allotment is something that becomes overhead for MLC.

Kammy envisions MLC playing an increasingly bigger role in Molokai’s future by buying beef from farmers and providing education for children on farming and ranching practices. “This was once an island of plenty,” she says as she tours the Hoolehua facility, “and it could be that way again. I think Molokai could be the breadbasket of Hawaii; we could be supplying other islands with food. Lots of it!”