The Hawaii State and Pacific Basin Farm Service Agency (FSA) supports the agricultural community throughout the Pacific. The state of Hawaii is an island chain of 137 islands, encompassing an area of 6,422 square miles often described as the most isolated archipelago in the world. There are eight main islands with FSA having county offices on the four most populated islands of Oahu, Big Island of Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai. The state office is on the island of Oahu, in Honolulu, the state capital. Hawaii is approximately 2600 miles from the mainland?s west coast.

Acting State Executive Director is Steve Peterson

WASHINGTON, June 29, 2008- The Obama Administration today announced that Diane Ley will serve as Hawaii State Executive Director for the Farm Service Agency at the USDA.

"Diane Ley has a solid understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our rural communities and will help build on the Obama Administration's efforts to rebuild and revitalize rural America," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Ley is currently the Deputy Director at the County of Hawaii Department of Research and Development, where she oversees programs related to agriculture, tourism, economic development and energy. She implemented state conservation programs while serving as Deputy to the Chairperson at the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Ley has experience with the Hawaii Farm Bureau and helped coordinate education programs for the Agricultural Leadership Foundation Program. She has been involved with the Hawaii agricultural community her entire life, including many years spent working directly on farming operations. Ley has been an active member of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture since 2006. She attended the University of Hawaii at Hilo and has completed various leadership programs.

The Farm Services Agency works to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for rural Americans. Some of the agency's efforts include providing direct operating loans for farm equipment, seed and fertilizer. FSA also procures various commodities to benefit low-income families through domestic food assistance programs. At the same time, the agency creates jobs by funding the growth and creation of rural businesses and cooperatives.

The USDA provides leadership on food, agriculture and natural resources and touches the life of every American. Reflecting President Obama's commitment to expanding economic opportunities in rural America, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and the USDA are working to enhance availability of broadband, promote the development of renewable energy, to conserve, maintain and improve our natural resources and environment, and promote a sustainable, safe, sufficient and nutritious food supply.

On January 22, 2009, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that USDA?s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and the State of Hawaii have entered into a new Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) agreement to imporve water quality and quantity, increase groundwater recharge, enhance wildlife, control invasive species, and improve near-shore coral reef health and diversity by filtering agricultural runoff. FSA will adminster the Hawaii State CREP project on behalf of CCC, working with USDA?s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Rersources, as well as other State CREP partner agencies.

Hawaii CREP is aimed at improving water quality in stream systems, increasing groundwater recharge, restoring forests and native species?s habitats, controlling the spread of invasive species, and enhancing near shore coastal and coral reef health. Under the Hawaii CREP, participants will receive annual rental payments as well as one-time incentive payments from CCC and the State of Hawii for voluntarily enrolling land in contracts and installing conservation practices. The CCC will also pay up to 50 percent of the cost of installing conservation practices, which have been specialized to meet Hawaii?s unique natural resource conditions and CREP goals.

For more information regarding the Hawaii CREP please contact your local FSA office.