A little history: In 1843, Samuel Thomas Alexander and Henry Perrine Baldwin, sons of pioneer missionaries, met in Lahaina, Maui. They grew up together, became close friends and went on to develop a sugar-growing partnership that spanned generations and left an indelible mark on Hawaii. A partnership created by two young men with the purchase of 12 acres on Maui for $110 has grown into a business with $2.2 billion in assets, including approximately 87,000 acres of land. Eventually they ceased production and the big question remained, if they were going to continue Maui's agricultural growth or if it was going to be sold for real estate. On December 20th Alexander and Baldwin announced an agreement that will launch a new era of agriculture on Maui. According to company executives, the agreement provides for the sale of the former Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company lands to Mahi Pono LLC for purposes of cultivating a variety of food and energy crops, ensuring the continued agricultural use of these lands, the preservation of green, open space in Central Maui, and a consistent and long-term source of revenue for the local economy.
Photo by: ClauCastillo.com