On Friday, October 30, about 150 farmers, researchers, agency staff, and community members filled the Hotel Nikko Guam for our Agricultural Symposium. We came together around one idea: when we build collective power, we find better solutions to address the challenges we face.
The day was about connecting the people already doing this work. We talked about building cooperatives, sharing resources, and learning from grassroots groups who are growing food and caring for land across the island.
We were honored to start the day with Gi Matan Guma’ and welcome remarks from Governor Lourdes “Lou” Leon Guerrero.
Dr. Kelly Teamey and Keoni DeFranco, both of the Hawaiʻi Co-op Hui, shared what cooperative development looks like in practice. USDA Farm Service Agency County Executive Director Ilene Iriarte walked farmers through disaster assistance and Typhoon Bavi recovery. Island Girl Power shared their agroforestry and youth education work. Åmot Farm in Dededo and Yo’åmte Saina Bernice Nelson and Saina Susan Taitano Aguon shared traditional CHamoru healing and the knowledge of our ancestors.
Our panel, Building Our Agricultural Future Together, brought in Matthew Hales of UOG Land Grant Extension, Frank Santos of the Guam Farmers’ Cooperative Association, Kyle Riordan of Ocean Nesian Equities Cooperative Development Center, Kelly Teamey, and Katherine Perez, our 2026 Junior Farmer of the Year. UOG Land Grant Extension facilitated a working session, “Identifying Priorities and Creating Pathways Forward” where farmers, researchers, and agency partners worked together to name the biggest obstacles facing local agriculture and the support farmers need most. The goal was to turn what we heard into next steps, including research that matches farmers’ priorities and policy changes that open the way for agriculture. Our closing panel, moderated by Kallen Perez, offered reflections, takeaways and next steps for our future together.
Saina ma’åse’ to everyone who made this day possible: Hawai’i Good Food Alliance and Western SARE; our partners, the Northern and Southern Guam Soil and Water Conservation Districts, UOG Land Grant Extension, ONE CDC, and the Guam Department of Agriculture; our lunch sponsors, the Northern and Southern Districts and the Guåhan Sentinel Landscape Partnership; our speakers and panelists; our volunteers; and every person who came, shared, and listened.
