UH offers eligible farmers free disaster-related soil and water testing

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Hawaiʻi farmers affected by storms and flooding in 2026 can once again apply for free testing from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR). The college first launched the effort in April and is reopening applications through its GoFarm Hawaiʻi program with an expanded range of services, including soil, plant health and agricultural water testing.

Through its Farm Disaster Response Project, GoFarm covers the cost of eligible soil and agricultural water tests for farmers whose operations were affected by the March 2026 Kona low storms, hurricanes or tropical storms, flooding, or related heavy rainfall this year.

Eligibility and how to apply

Farmers may apply if:

• Their farm or commercial agricultural operation was affected by the March 2026 Kona low storms, hurricanes or tropical storms, flooding, or related heavy rainfall this year.
• The owner or manager believes the event may have affected soil health or agricultural water, or contributed to plant disease.
• The owner or manager wants testing to better understand those concerns.

Farmers can fill out the application form or call GoFarm Hawaiʻi at (808) 956-3530. They can start by describing the weather event, what happened on their farm, and any concerns about soil, plant health, or agricultural water.

GoFarm will use its Post-Disaster Farm Testing Decision Guide to help farmers determine whether testing would be useful and which tests to consider.

Understanding post-storm soil and water changes

Testing can help farmers understand how severe weather may have changed their soil or agricultural water and guide decisions about how to recover. Flooding and runoff can affect soil and plant health, spread plant diseases, leave sediment on farmland, or affect a farm's water supply.

"This support is the next step in our work from earlier this year to make testing accessible when severe weather strikes. Whether it's assessing soil health after floodwaters recede or diagnosing crop diseases, CTAHR is committed to helping our farmers get back on their feet and protecting our agriculture and natural resources," said CTAHR Dean Parwinder Grewal.

After CTAHR's Agricultural Diagnostic Service Center reopened in April, the college offered about three months of free soil and plant testing to farmers affected by the spring Kona low storms.