Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Musings: Cry Babies

The anti-agriculture movement in Hawaii is akin to a group of spoiled toddlers: give them what they beg for, and still they want more, throwing temper tantrums when things don't go exactly their way.

A perfect example is the Mahaulepu dairy on Kauai. Opponents demanded an EIS, even though none was required. Hawaii Dairy Farms acquiesced, despite having gotten the green light from the state Department of Health for its animal feeding operation, and county building permits.

As we all know, an EIS includes scientific studies and opportunities for public comment, as well as a process for revising the plan in response to those studies and comments. HDF even agreed to let the DOH serve as the reviewing agency for its EIS.

But no. That is not enough. Just two weeks after HDF agreed to the EIS, the opponents mounted another attack. This time, they've made it plain that their call for an EIS was just a delaying tactic, and they have no intention of accepting its findings (unless they're bad).


Our clear goal is to work from every angle possible to persuade this operation that a dairy of this size is wrong for this location,” Koloa resident and group member Bridget Hammerquist, an outspoken opponent of HDF’s plan, wrote in an email.

So in other words, HDF is just wasting its time and money on an EIS, because Bridget and her pals will never be convinced that the dairy is anything but totally unacceptable. It doesn't matter what the scientific studies may show, or if other citizens support the dairy. They in their ultimate wisdom already know best.

Hammerquist said the Friends of Mahaulepu group wants there to be no doubts about the level of concern by residents, visitors and business.

Believe me, Bridget, none of us have any doubts about how freaked out you are by a fricking dairy, since Chris D'Angelo has dutifully reported your every speculation and unsubstantiated allegation. In fact, we are so aware of your continually uttered concerns that many of us would like to say, “STFU already and let the process YOU demanded work.”

Of course, we also now have no doubts that you folks are entirely unreasonable, and will be satisfied with nothing less than a total shut down, regardless of what the EIS reveals.

How are agricultural enterprises supposed to deal with this sort of dishonesty, these bad faith negotiating tactics? How are they supposed to work with people who have absolutely no intention of budging a bit? How are they supposed to present facts to people who prefer to trade in anecdotes, speculation and fear?

Is it any wonder that ag interests throw up their hands and say, fuck it, or else head straight to court? Meanwhile, the very same groups keep crying for sustainability, more local food production. But be sure to factor in millions of dollars for unnecessary litigation and environmental studies, and stay far, far away from their backyards — even though they did buy houses on or adjacent to agricultural land.

Oh, and don't forget their repeated calls for more “local control,” by which they mean only they, the opponents, should have any say in what goes down.

Which is why groups on Maui, Kauai and Hawaii Island will be waving their signs tomorrow afternoon to show how unhappy they are with the pre-emption rulings that have already overturned the crappy anti-GMO laws they pushed through on Kauai and Big Island, and how upset they are that Monsanto and DOW are challenging the equally flawed GMO moratorium on Maui.

They never mention that small farmers also joined the lawsuits on Maui and Big Island — to do so would challenge their mantra that it's them against the corporations, instead of them against their neighbors.

Some of their complaints don't even make sense:

"It is unacceptable that the citizens of Maui passed a GMO Moratorium and Dow and Monsanto did an end run around us," explained Autumn Ness of Maui United. "This is yet another incident of the government over-riding the citizens and it has people very upset."

Let me get this straight. Private businesses exercise their legal right to challenge a law and that is an example of government over-riding the citizens?

Of course, the rule of law doesn't matter, or if it does, it's only supposed to apply to them, not the other guys.

And though the Maui opponents are screaming for home rule, they somehow don't think the same should be granted to the residents of Molokai, who overwhelmingly rejected the moratorium.

Like I said, it's the mentality of a two-year-old: I want what I want and I want it now and if you don't give it to me, I'll scream and yell and hold my breath until I'm blue in the face because no one matters but me.

Fine. Go right ahead and cry yourself out. We'll just step over you while you're prostrate and blubbering on the floor.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's as if I, and the rest of the not silent, but certainly more civilized majority, wrote this ourselves. If only we were so talented. Thank you again Joan for speaking the truth so clearly and succinctly.

Anonymous said...

These people are crazy. Insane. Absolutely useless in the real world. Would I rather have a dairy and pasture over another hotel? Absolutely. Exactly how much waste does a hotel generate, anyway? How much food? End of story.

Anonymous said...

About money wasted in an effort to address "community concerns", don't forget to include the air monitoring on Kauai that DOH paid for dearly, and the water and sediment sampling that DOH again paid for, island wide. But since results are not supporting the whining toddlers, they are completely ignored. And the toddlers keep demanding "environmental studies".

Anonymous said...

You've done such a great job describing the dishonest, self-centered tactics of these haters who imagine themselves as being so righteous that everyone who disagrees with them must be "evil" or "stupid". I am so sick and tired of their narrow-minded "my way or no way" attitude. Their intolerance and lack of aloha is shameful.

Anonymous said...

You had me at "Cry Babies"! Joan, we all think it but you write it and say it. Mahalo!

I dont know if the Dairy is "good" or "bad". I could have concerns. But isnt this issue between Grove farm and Omidiar? Isnt it private property on Ag land? Isnt that what Ag land is for?

What I do know is the activists are behaving just like the Hooser Fisties of 2491. And who is this Bridget Hammerquist of Koloa? Ive lived here my whole life and never heard of that name. She must not be kama'aina. She obviously wasnt here during the sugar plantation days and when the entire Mahauelepu area was cow pastures or sugar fields. A combination of dust, pesticides, and cow pies. And dont forget about CJM stables which is even closer to the beach and hotels. She must not have been here before the Hyatt was constructed. You do know that the Hyatt isnt just part of the natural scenery right? Mrs. Hammerquist speaks only for herself and a small group of others who arent originally from Koloa. Before you put your "Malama Maha'u'elepu" sticker on your Prius (assuming she drives a pruis) next to your "Save Koloa's soul" sticker learn the history of the place your claiming and "protecting". Heres a new hawaiian word for the Mrs. Hammerquists and Dustin Barca, Hooser types to look up, learn and practice: " Haʻahaʻa". Aloha!

Anonymous said...

And why exactly does this dairy operation HAVE to be in that exact location...with all the money available to create it, why can it not be located in an area which is not so contentious?

Joan Conrow said...

Tell us, what location wouldn't be so contentious, or generate opposition from a different bunch of NIMBYs? It's important ag land. It's supposed to be in agriculture.

Surfrider said it had identified some alternative sites, but has yet to disclose them. Why not?

Allan Parachini said...

Seems like it's OK if big corporations like Hyatt sue to stop a dairy farm, for obvious and understandable reasons relating to their fear that the dairy will harm their business. I don't know if Hyatt and the opponents' assumptions have any validity. But you're dead on about how frustrating it is to deal with people who won't budge an inch. It's the Tea Party mentality, pure and simple, but taken to the next level. In the case of the litigation re GMO legislation, I have no great love for some of Monsanto's business practices, but it's undeniable that this legislation threatens the business operations of the seed companies involved, the mix of which varies by island. The fundamental reality is that these companies have as much right to challenge something in court that they believe to be unfair or unconstitutional as anyone. And, like it or not, the GMO products these companies make are legal for commerce in the U.S. and have met federal safety standards. What's most galling is the assertion that these anti-ag interest groups claim to speak for "the people." Well, if the mayoral election is a measure, the anti-GMO crowd is certainly no more than a third of the voting electorate, so what this is really about is a refusal to recognize the true feelings of "the people," who aren't buying the anti-GMO party line.

Anonymous said...

I wish this blog would talk more about solutions instead of spending so much time berating individuals and groups.

Joan Conrow said...

One of the "solutions" is to expose people and groups for what they really are rather than what they pretend to be.

You and others are always free to propose solutions. Why must they come from me?

Anonymous said...

Joan, Why not offer solutions in addition to exposing people and groups. But yes, it is your blog and you are free to do it as you like. Here is a very good article about solutions that the government and farmers are exploring. Have a read!--- http://www.civilbeat.com/2014/12/growing-the-new-generation-of-food-producers/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=users&utm_campaign=morning_beat

Anonymous said...

Solutions: If the land is important ag land. why does it have to be a dairy with so many cows? Why can it not be used for other kinds of agriculture that do not upset the neighbors so much? Look for dairy sites elsewhere with not so many neighbors so close and not so close to the ocean?

Anonymous said...

Solutions, move the dairy site to somewhere near where the new landfill will be sited. Expand the acreage so that there is enough for 100% pasture feeding. Process and market the milk here on Kauai. Make cheese here on Kauai.

Anonymous said...

Veruca Salt!

Anonymous said...

11:58. NIMBY is not a solution. Why should everything be dumped in Hanamaulu? Because only the haoles will complain?. Kauai grass is not rich enough to support lactating animals without supplemental feed. HDF welcomes cheese-making and other offshoot industries by entrepreneurs.

Anonymous said...

Not only is Ms. Hammerquist a crybaby nuisance, she aims to cost everyone involved with the dairy, including the county, a lot of money. Maybe she should do us all a favor and instead conduct a real estate symposium to explain how she paid less than $200 in real estate taxes in each of the last several years on her $1.6 million hooch so the rest of us game the system, too. This would be far more helpful and entertaining than diatribes on cowshit and seances with the angels at TGI and parades featuring "No Moo Doo at Maha'ulepu" encrusted bumper stickers on Privileged Poipu People's Priuses. Anyway, the stream problem seems to be You Doo, Poipu,- pum'n'dump cesspools, maybe?

Anonymous said...

Solutions don't exist in either of the extremes but somewhere in the middle...the grey area. I appreciate Joan for bringing the perspectives into light

Anonymous said...

Dear Mrs. Hammerquist, you too are an animal that Doo doo's. Is your living situation on Kauai sustainable to Kauai? Perhaps Kauai would be better off with out you in its back yard.

In other words, don't be a self serving hypocrite. This reminds me of all the "enviormental" anti GMO hippies that live in the north shore renting out school busses, tree houses, building illegal structures, renting rooms, and over loading the cesspools until the Doo doo goes into the ocean and kills the reef. But yeah "fuck GMO, I only eat organic corn". And "the military is killing the reef" "not my illegal Tvr and all my organic Doo doo" "Barca for mayor"! Lol!

Anonymous said...

1:44 So you are saying that locating the dairy on Grove Farm land near where the new landfill is slated to be located would be dumping on the residence of Hanamaula? You are wrong also about cows needing supplemental feed (30% per HDF). Check this article from WSJ. http://www.wsj.com/articles/grass-fed-milk-is-taking-off-with-health-conscious-shoppers-1406675201 You say HDF welcomes entrepreneurs to make cheeses. Are you their spokesman? Why would they not process milk and byproducts here on Kauai. It would create many more jobs than the 15 with the dairy only. That number does not stack up well against the jobs that would be lost if the neighboring resorts were closed.

Anonymous said...

It's not cost effective to build a plant to process milk from one dairy. What is your point about feed? This ain't the mainland. Cows here need feed to make good milk.

Anonymous said...

Great post and comments today.

Anonymous said...

6:24 what is my point about feed? Improving the islands food self sufficiency and becoming sustainable are goals many of us think are important. The high cost of imported feed plagues all livestock farmer on Hawaii. That is why there are now only two dairies, with Mauna Kea Moo still in development. Cows are grazers and need only grass if there is enough pasture. HDF plans seem to suggest more of a feed lot operation than the other dairies in the state. Big Island Dairy has 2000 cows on 2500 acres. They produce 6500 gallons of milk per day. Cloverleaf Dairy has 700 cows on 880 acres and produce about 3500 gallons per day. Mauna Kea Moo has 1395 acres and plans to have 200 milking cows, 300 heifers and baby cows for a total of 600 cattle. They plan to process some of their milk into cheese. The HDF numbers are a moving target at best. Are they not planning on having any heifers and baby cows? If so the true number of cattle could be twice what ever they say if all cattle are to be accounted for. It looks like a feed lot. Will smell like a feed lot operation. Have water pollution like a feed lot operation. What is to like about this plan?

Anonymous said...

6:24 what is my point about feed? Improving the islands food self sufficiency and becoming sustainable are goals many of us think are important. The high cost of imported feed plagues all livestock farmer on Hawaii. That is why there are now only two dairies, with Mauna Kea Moo still in development. Cows are grazers and need only grass if there is enough pasture. HDF plans seem to suggest more of a feed lot operation than the other dairies in the state. Big Island Dairy has 2000 cows on 2500 acres. They produce 6500 gallons of milk per day. Cloverleaf Dairy has 700 cows on 880 acres and produce about 3500 gallons per day. Mauna Kea Moo has 1395 acres and plans to have 200 milking cows, 300 heifers and baby cows for a total of 600 cattle. They plan to process some of their milk into cheese. The HDF numbers are a moving target at best. Are they not planning on having any heifers and baby cows? If so the true number of cattle could be twice what ever they say if all cattle are to be accounted for. It looks like a feed lot. Will smell like a feed lot operation. Have water pollution like a feed lot operation. What is to like about this plan?

Anonymous said...

The author of that article is clueless. Talk to any real farmer in Hawaii; it's almost impossible to make a profit farming here. And if you're wealthy enough to not need to make a profit, well then that's not commercial farming. That's a hobby. Has the gall to claim he's a Master Gardener......big deal, so am I. We took a 13 week (1 day/week) course from UH CTAHR. Super interesting and great for novices to gardening. But what does that prove in the context of his yardening fantasy? Young people need to be able to make a living.

Anonymous said...

I am just speculating but i think the dairy needs the water that is currently being routed to the site. It is also next to an existing quarry and taro fields and is utilizing the area that is currently in cows. My understanding is that the Lihue area ag surface irrigation water is currently being fully utilized seasonally. The WSJ article said mostly grass fed. The feed in my family's dairy was used to calm the cows during the milking process. Our dairy was also grass fed.

The key to the success of the dairy is the carrying capacity of the grass fed element of the dairy. The pastures will need to be watered and the cows rotated in an efficient way as to maximize the energy that the grass will give to milk production. They aren't going to survive if it is a CAFO.

Like any business, development, hotel, non profit etc that tries to make a go on this island there is a mass of regulations that need to be overcome. The business end of which which is it has to make money to cover expenses and put aside for the down times.

In addition you have the environmental protectors that will be watching the progress of the dairy. It good that a baseline has been established for the stream. The dairy will still need to make sure that they are not the source of pollution to the stream and subsequently to the ocean.

On top of all this they will have to make the dairy economically viable.

Good luck and thank you to Pierre Omydiar for doing his part to making us more food sustainable.

Thank you to the developers, hoteliers, real estate salespeople, business people who make keeps the money flowing. Thank you to the activists that make sure only the best projects take off and be successful. It's all good.

You got to be tough to live on Kauai. If it was easy everybody would be here.

Anonymous said...

there is plenty water in Waita reservoir for the dairy. That's why it's IAL. Activists don't make sure the best projects get through only the ones with enough money to hang on. Big difference.

Anonymous said...


The ground water level in the valley is about 7 feet below the surface.

Haupu leaks water into the valley aquifer.
me thinks the valley provides a good environment for cows. Not to wet not to dry. Lots of sunshine.

Anonymous said...

Very true about my best comment. Best capitalized. Most money to comply with government regulations and policies. Most money to be able to survive through the planning and permitting processes.

What kind of reasoning would call it if you link that to why the widening gap between rich and poor on Kauai?

Only the best capitalized can start a business, buy houses, farm and only the projects that can provide the best return come to fruition.

Kauai Organic agriculture not really able to replace our McDonalds fast food Wal Mart/Safeway grocery shelves. It would be best.

Anonymous said...

9:59 Bridget Hammerquist WAS born in Hawai`i.

Anonymous said...

What is wrong with the Moloaa dairy site? perfect site, already used as a dairy, what is the problem? Move it to a less contentious site, like the other poster said, and just skip all the drama. I cannot understand why this was not proposed and done in the first place.