Aloha Air Cargo, Farmers Team Up

HONOLULU - KITV.com

A partnership between Aloha Air Cargo and the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation will help sustain Hawaii agriculture by discounting freight costs.

"If farmers no make money, the farmer not going farm," Hawaii Farm Bureau President Dean Okimoto said.

Okimoto has seen local farm production drop over the years. While it starts with farmers, everyone has a stake in Hawaii agriculture, he said.

"Not only in sustaining the islands but also in tourism and keeping green space for water and replenishing aquifers and the whole nine yards," Okimoto said.

"We felt it wasn't being supported by a transportation area as much as it needed to be," Aloha Air Cargo CEO Mike Malik said.

That is where the new partnership between the farm bureau and Aloha Air Cargo comes into play. Aloha Air Cargo offered up to 35 percent off airfreight for farm bureau members.

"If we're going to make the state strong, then companies ought to be coming together," Malik said.

Malik said there is a stigma attached to air cargo, that it is too pricey. When broken down, the cost is competitive to other shipping options, he said. There are other benefits such as minimizing the transport time between farms to market.

"It does benefit the fresh produce, the lettuces, the bok choy and all those things," Okimoto said. "The quicker it is the fresher it is the more nutritious it is."

The partnership could also assist farmers with marketing to get their brand name out there.

"If we're able to build our businesses to more capacity prices will come down, or at least be stable," Okimoto said.

Those efforts begin with increasing HFBF's membership.

"The more members we have the more a voice we have," Okimoto said.

The airfreight discount program is exclusive to HFBF members. This discount will provide HFBF members up to 35 percent off of Aloha Air Cargo freighter service when shipping you locally grown or 'Made in Hawaii' packaged products. In addition, Aloha Air Cargo is extending a 20 percent discount off general freight shipments and non-perishable products.

The program rates will be effective from Nov. 9 through Dec. 31, 2010.

The annual membership for farmers is $90. Benefits include discounts on hotels, cars and restaurants along with discounted airfreight. You can got to the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation's

Web site

for more information.

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