The multi-million dollar facility is completely off the grid. But it still needs to figure out how to produce its own feed, and it may need genetically modified organisms to do this.

Less than 5 miles east of Wahiawa, hidden behind the long grass berm on Highway 803, Waialua Egg Farm finally started producing eggs.

The facility with approximately 200,000 chickens has been built for 10 years, and the first batch of 900 dozen eggs was sold last week. It is covered by solar panels, the water comes directly from its own well, and chicken manure is turned into biochar, which is returned as a nutrient for farmers across the state. The facility is considered the most advanced.

Waialua Egg Farm is owned by Villa Rose, a partnership between Hidden Villa Ranch and Rose Acre Farms, two major mainland agricultural companies.

The owner hopes that the farm will replace Hawaii’s demand for mainland eggs-including its own.

There are so few producers in Hawaii that the National Bureau of Agricultural Statistics stopped publishing data in 2011 when 65.5 million eggs were produced because it would leak sensitive business information about the few large operators that still exist.

Because few people can ship eggs at the scale needed to feed the entire Hawaii, most of the available eggs come from the mainland, just like most food. Due to the scale of operations of mainland producers, they produce and supply eggs at a price of less than US$5 per dozen, while the price of eggs in Hawaii is usually about US$1.50 higher.

In addition to Hawaii’s current producers, Villa Rose will eventually house 1 million cage-free chickens. Once they can produce enough eggs, the population and tourists in the state will be able to eat only the eggs grown in Hawaii. price competition.

"We want to feed Hawaii for hundreds of years," said Avery Barry, the farm manager. "It looks like the space is too big now, but we will fill it up."

According to Michael DuPont, who recently retired from the School of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii, Hawaii’s livestock and poultry face four major obstacles: feed, waste management, land tenure, and evolving regulations.

Mike Sencer, Executive Vice President of Hidden Villa Ranch, attests to the height of these obstacles: The company has been buying land from Dole for more than eight years, and only recently sold its first batch of eggs.

Villa Rose owns the 317-acre property, which was purchased in 2013 for US$6.4 million.

The company has facilities and offices in 15 states and is accustomed to having to overcome problems, but Hawaiian regulations make it "probably the hardest in the country," Senser said.

As states continue to ban this practice, it has explained the new regulations by making all chickens cage-free, and all chicken manure is filtered from the chicken coop to the incinerator to convert the waste into biochar. This is a growing trend. The more popular the climate-friendly fertilizer.

"But as you can see, we are trying to become very proactive," Senser said.

However, the feed is still in progress. Currently, Villa Rose is importing feed from the mainland-which is a blow to its goal of self-sufficiency-but is studying local alternatives.

Feed is a problem for all livestock in Hawaii, and at least one group on the Big Island is trying to solve this problem, using the invasive plant gorse as part of its feed formula.

The community food and agriculture organization Malama Kauai recently announced a plan to encourage local smallholders and indigenous farmers to produce eggs through free supplies and education, but it also faces feed issues. However, through collective purchasing power, they hope to ensure a stable supply.

Therefore, regardless of the size of the chicken flock, sustainable feed is indispensable for the sustainability of any chicken industry.

As far as chicken feed is concerned, a typical commercial formula is mainly composed of corn, a small amount of soybeans and some added vitamins and minerals.

This is the formula that Villa Rose follows, but the company has been seeking to grow its own feed on the island.

Given Hawaii’s climate and the potential for corn harvesting three times a year, as well as better logistics distances, Sencer believes that there are some “huge advantages” in producing feed locally, but it estimates that it will require 5,000 acres of land.

"And we do have many interested groups that are considering doing this for us," he said.

Sencer added that the company is also working to resolve the issue of whether to use genetically modified organisms or food grown from genetically engineered seeds in the laboratory.

"We tried some non-GMO foods because I really want to make some non-GMO foods," Senser said.

But Sencer said that if it comes down to a price point compromise, Villa Rose needs to compete with mainland eggs, some compromises may be needed, and genetically modified organisms may need to be used.

"I know this is a big deal in Hawaii," he said of GMOs.

Although the goal of Villa Rose's eggs is not organic status, the issue of genetic modification is completely different and has a long and controversial history in Hawaii. In the past 10 years, local communities have strongly opposed the cultivation of resistant crops, expressing public health and environmental issues.

In 2013, the Kauai County Council tried to establish pesticide-free buffer zones around schools, workplaces, and homes, while Maui and Hawaii completely ban GMOs, but in 2016 the Ninth Circuit abolished all bans.

Although the vicious history of Hawaiian genetically modified crops is no stranger to Sencer, he said that if people want their egg producers to eat a Hawaiian-grown diet, this may be the only way out.

"I think it's a bit naive if you say,'Is this local or depressed'."-Michael Roberts, Professor of Economics

However, Chin Nyean Lee, a retired expert from the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Science at the University of Hawaii, said that genetically modified foods may not mark a change in mainland egg consumers.

"I am not against genetic modification. If you want to buy eggs from the mainland, they are also genetically modified eggs, genetically modified chickens," Li said. "It is safe to say that more than 95% of corn and soybeans produced in the United States are genetically modified organisms."

Although Lee believes that the Villa Rose project marks a milestone in Hawaii becoming more self-reliant, he doubts whether it can produce enough corn and soybeans to feed itself, even if it is a genetically modified organism.

Although there is a shortage of feed and shipping delays, this is not a problem for garments with Villa Rose capacity. According to Li, large garments like this can be reserved for emergency situations.

The dilemma about whether it makes sense to grow feed locally comes down to the question of whether it contributes to food security and self-sufficiency, or whether it makes no economic sense.

Professor Michael Roberts of the Economic Research Organization of the University of Hawaii said that there is no need to choose a side.

Roberts said: "I think if you say,'Is this local or bankrupt,' you would be a bit naive."

For Villa Rose, in terms of overall operations, it may increase overall costs, although its intentions are good, but this is not in its interests.

"Self-sufficiency... does not mean that it is the right environmental issue," Roberts said. "We want to consider the best place to do things."

For corn and soybeans, this means the Midwest. Roberts, who also studies food systems, energy, climate and economics, said that if Hawaii starts planting genetically modified crops-and related herbicides-it may adversely affect the island's limited land, sandy soil, and islands near the sea.

"Corn is a dirty business. Maybe there is some wisdom to keep it in the Midwest," he added. "Without (genetically modified organisms), you would not be able to produce a lot of corn here."

Sencer said that Hidden Villa Ranch is not scrambling to fill its facilities and will continue to bring in feed from the mainland until a viable option emerges.

Sencer believes that Villa Rose has not tried to bankrupt existing small producers, or even compete with them, because they will provide products at lower prices and have no organic status.

The slow gestation period of filling facilities with birds is also to avoid market flooding.

"I know that many small farmers are afraid of what we are doing, but they shouldn't be afraid. Mainland eggs, this is the real competition," he said.

Although Sencer stated that the facility will produce enough eggs to ensure that Hawaii hatches enough eggs to feed itself, there is still some interest in Hawaiian eggs from Japan.

Part of the funding for "Hawaii Grown" comes from Ulupono Fund of Hawaii Community Foundation, Marisla Fund of Hawaii Community Foundation and Frost Family Foundation.

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Thomas Heaton is a reporter for "Civil Beat". You can contact him via email at theaton@civilbeat.org, or follow him on Twitter @thomasheaton

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