Environmental and Economic Benefits of Locally Grown Versus Imported Agriculture: A Case Study of Sumida Farm

Abstract

The state of Hawaiʻi relies heavily on food imports in order to feed its residents. In return, the state is highly impacted by food chain issues and fuel surcharges. In order to determine the benefits of supporting local agriculture in Hawaiʻi, this study analyzes the impacts of “local” food using Sumida Farm, a local watercress farm, as a case study. In addition, this study will also characterize some of the key environmental and economic benefits of locally produced versus imported produce. These will be shown by (1) calculating the price differential between local and imported watercress, (2) calculating the greenhouse gas emissions of local and imported watercress, and (3) describing and illustrating the social reach and community impact of Sumida Farm. We find that the cost of imported watercress for the residents of Hawaiʻi is more than double the cost of local watercress, and residents would need to pay about $3 million more per year for imported watercress. We also find that the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with imported watercress is over 50 times the emissions of local watercress. Finally, we find that although most of Sumida Farm’s community presence is on the island of Oʻahu, their impact can be felt throughout most islands across the state.