Developing a Shared Agenda
North Shore EVP is supported by a growing network of community partners and sponsors!
Developing a Shared Agenda
The Developing a Shared Agenda project consisted of an economic analysis of the North Shore region and public outreach to share the results and identify new opportunities in the region for economic growth. Here we present an in-depth examination of future opportunities in both the North Shore Experience (tourism and retail) and Sustainable Agriculture & Working Landscapes (Agriculture and Land Use) industry clusters, while also examining how an emerging concentration of Professional & Technical Services fits into a regional action plan. One of the key discoveries from our research and community discussions is how intertwined our region’s clusters are. The North Shore Experience cluster would not attract the number of visitors that it does without the stunning backdrop of our beaches, mountains and open spaces. Both the Sustainable Agriculture & Working Landscapes cluster and the North Shore Experience cluster share a commitment to maintaining the beauty of the land, while connecting and incorporating regional assets to support and grow the local economy.
A coordinated effort to support these dynamic clusters aligns with broader regional priorities: respecting the land, maintaining the heritage and culture of our region, and enhancing community well-being and economic prosperity. Please use the links at the top of this page to explore the Developing A Shared Agenda project and outcomes.
Participants
The North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership includes the following individuals as well as nearly 100 business and community leaders who participated in the Clusters of Opportunity project. We thank you all for your service.
Leadership:
Kevin Kelly, Chair
University of Hawaiʻi
North Shore Community Resident
Susan Matsushima
Alluvion, Inc.
North Shore Chamber of Commerce
Larry Jefts
Farmer, Sugarland Growers
John Morgan
Kualoa Ranch
Marty Thomas
Van’s Triple Crown of Surfing
Project Stewards:
Doug Cole
North Shore Community Land Trust
Kathleen M. Pahinui
Morris Visitor Publications
North Shore Neighborhood Board
North Shore Chamber Board
Danna Holck
Turtle Bay Resort
North Shore Chamber Board
Michael Moser
Windward Community College
Antya Miller
North Shore Chamber of Commerce
Lee Sichter
Lee Sichter LLC
Kalani Fronda
The Kamehameha Schools
Carolyn Unser
FirstWind
Ron Weidenbach
Hawaiʻi Fish Company
The research was conducted and reports prepared by Collaborative Economics, Inc. Collaborative Economics works with senior executives from business, foundations, government, education and community sectors – helping them create breakthroughs in how people think and act regarding their region. Collaborative Economics’ clients have the passion, vision and commitment to blaze a new pathway for their community. They understand that a new kind of leadership is required to create great places, with thriving economies and world-class quality of life.
Kim Held – Project Manager
Clare Brown – Database Manager
Bridget Gibbons – Designer
Francie Genz
Doug Henton
John Melville
Special recognition goes to Lisa Gibson of Honolulu-based Rising Tide Economics for her project management, fund raising and administrative support throughout the project.
Our Process
North Shore communities want to understand the dynamic economic landscape of the region and engage in activities that build on traditional industries of agriculture and tourism, while creating new economic opportunities utilizing the existing assets of the region. Development of an economic plan is focused on identifying regionally appropriate areas that preserve these unique natural assets, while also bolstering the economy to create jobs for residents.
Towards these ends funds were raised to engage Collaborative Economics to develop the North Shore Cluster Assessment Report based on analysis of New Economy Time Series (NETS) data. The report identifies three clusters of opportunity that drive the region’s economy and serves as a foundational document for region’s Economic Strategy Plan. One of the key discoveries from both research and discussions with local business leaders is how intertwined our region’s clusters are. The North Shore Experience cluster would not attract the number of visitors that it does without the stunning backdrop that the natural land provides. Both the Sustainable Agriculture & Working Landscapes cluster and the North Shore Experience cluster share a commitment to maintaining the beauty of the land, while incorporating these assets to support and grow the local economy. Two clusters, The North Shore Experience and Sustainable Agriculture & Working Landscapes , were explored in depth as they were responsible for 43% of the job growth in the region between 2001 and 2011.
- Launching a “Did You Know?” Campaign to tell the story of today’s agriculture on the North Shore
- Developing a Regional Brand that distinguishes North Shore businesses and products from the rest of Hawaii
- Organizing an Infrastructure Action Committee to assist in the resolution of traffic issues affecting the North Shore
- Creating an Ag Learning Center/Food Hub for small farmers and ag-tourism
In November 2013 at a final meeting of the four action teams participants shared their progress, integrated their activities and further detailed implementation steps for the success of their action plans. From there it will be the determination and perseverance of the action team members with the support of the North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership and the broader community to shepherd the progress of these action items.
Clusters
Clusters of opportunity are sectors of the economy identified by growth in one or more areas:
- Value: the sector brings wealth to the region
- Jobs: the sector has experienced strong short-term or long-term employment growth
- Wages: the average wages for the sector are high-value and increasing
The clusters drive economic vitality, generating jobs and wages for residents and expanding purchases of products and services from local suppliers, all resulting in a positive ripple effect to create benefits for every community in the region. The clusters also generate tax revenues that fuel local public services and support a better quality of life for local residents. The clusters, if innovative, competitive, and healthy, will drive the economic prosperity of the North Shore.
Sustainable Agriculture & Working Landscapes includes grocery stores, markets, florists, caterers, specialty restaurants, food processing, farming, veterinary services, agricultural support, marinas, aquaculture, film production companies, ranches, environmental and wildlife groups, urban and rural planning and development, conservation programs and resource management.
North Shore Experience contains museums, recreational tours, uniquely Hawai‘i manufacturing,4 clothing and souvenir stores, fashion, artwork, ocean recreation & surfing, accommodation, transportation and travel agencies.
Professional & Technical Services is made up of a range of businesses including technical consulting, diagnostic imaging centers, computers, information technology, finance and investment services, communications equipment manufacturing, electronics maintenance and repair, data services and architecture and engineering services.
Supporters
Promoting economic growth and vitality of the North Shore region and community would not be possible without a strong network of support. North Shore EVP gives thanks to the following donors whose financial support made this project possible:
The Atherton Family Foundation
The Kamehameha Schools
Mayor’s Office of Economic Development
Turtle Bay Resort
Van’s Triple Crown
Scott Wallace
Sullivan Family of Companies
Kahuku Sugar Mill
Lucky and Marilyn Cole
FirstWind
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs
A Charitable Foundation
Monsanto
Pioneer Seed
Kualoa Ranch
Kua Aina Burgers
Sterman Realty
Syngenta
Hiipaka LLC/Waimea Valley
Sugarland Growers
Reports
Four reports were produced during the course of the Developing a Shared Agenda process that track the project in detail. Here is the order in which the reports were produced and the subject area of each report.
The Phase I Cluster Assessment Report focuses on analysis of regional economic data and provides a starting point for community engagement and discussion.
In the Phase II Cluster Opportunities report you will learn about community and industry leaders coming together to identify economic opportunities in the North Shore region based on discussions and brainstorming around the the Phase I economic data.
The Draft Action Plan refines the previously identified cluster opportunities into a draft action plan. The action plan was used to form Action Teams of engaged residents and businesses around each key opportunity.
The final Summary Document provides a comprehensive review of the process and contains details about the our regional clusters and the Action Teams.
Click on any of the North Shore’s Economic Vitality Partnership reports below to read them in their entirety.
Food Hub and Learning Center (FHLC)
The USDA defines a food hub as a business or organization that actively manages the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of source-identified food products, primarily from local producers, to strengthen their ability to consistently satisfy wholesale, retail, and institutional demand.
The Developing A Shared Agenda economic analysis of the North Shore region and the subsequent engagement of key members of the regional agriculture community led to the identification of a Food Hub and Learning Center (FHLC) as the missing critical infrastructure required to support the growth and sustainability of small farms. Among regions with a concentration of small farms, Food Hubs provide a practical solution for farmers and communities wishing to preserve and grow their ag-based economies. For farmers, food hubs allow farms to focus on what they do best, growing crops and pass the post-harvest work on to the hub. For the Community, the FHLC will become a focal point for local agriculture in the region. The goals of this project are 3-fold:
1. Support of Small and Medium Farmers
The primary role of the FHLC is to service GroupGAP certified farms that will lead to access to larger, commercial buyer markets for area farmers. The Food Hub will provide the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of food products from local and regional producers to strengthen their ability to collectively satisfy wholesale, retail, and institutional demand (quality, quantity, consistency). This packing house facility fills a critical gap in the agricultural supply chain by being the only infrastructure on the North Shore where produce cleaning, packing, cooling, marketing, and shipping will take place under the umbrella of a comprehensive food safety program, a program that both opens a gateway for small farmers to the previously inaccessible institutional markets and increases the supply and availability of locally grown food island-wide.
The Food Hub & Learning Center will have the region’s first full-service packing house including extra cold storage space to support other local businesses. The facility will be USDA certified to meet the food safety requirements of larger institutional and commercial buyers.
2. Community Learning Center
The FHLC will have community accessible space for a variety of learning, training and continuing education events. The packing house, a food safety certified facility, will be designed to host public tours to teach school children and visitors about how food moves from the farm to their tables and the role of food safety in their everyday lives. As a center for ag networking in the community, the FHLC will offer a range of educational activities and events around gardening, cooking, healthy food such as cooking classes with guest celebrity chefs. The community meeting space will also host the GroupGAP Food Safety Certification program for local farmers and various community meetings.
Conceptual drawing of the North Shore Food Hub & Learning Center
3. Agri-Tourism
Integration of our largest economic drivers of agriculture and tourism provides opportunities to create new businesses as well as alternate revenue streams for farmers in the region. The FHLC will have a small visitor center and storefront that features North Shore-grown produce and locally produced value-added products (jams, cheeses, sauces, etc.). The visitor center will be a tourist destination point for farm tours, farm-to-table dinners and ag-tourism activities hosted by our supplier farms and booked through the FHLC website. An onsite restaurant, staffed by culinary students in training, will allow tourists and locals alike to experience fresh, healthy, locally-produced food.