Cutting edge: Hawai‘i CC’s butchery program shapes future of local food

Butchery instructor Bill Wong shows students how to break down a hindquarter of beef

Amelia Mooney uses a hand saw to break down a beef quarter

Graduates of the butchery program with instructors Bill Wong (left) and Wade Cypriano

Six University of Hawaiʻi students, from Hawai‘i Community College, UH Hilo and UH Mānoa, are the latest graduates of Hawai‘i CC’s groundbreaking butchery program, a six-week course that’s reshaping agricultural education and advancing local food sustainability.

The course, offered at Hawai‘i CC’s Kō Education Center in Honoka‘a, combines technical expertise and hands-on learning with an understanding of Hawaiʻi’s food systems, preparing graduates to support sustainable, community-based agriculture. 

“Through this program, I feel truly connected to the local agriculture community, and I’m motivated by our skilled and knowledgeable instructors,” said Hawai‘i CC agriculture student Olena Hovey, who plans to work in meat cutting while pursuing her farming goals. “I see butchery as an important trade that can support Hawai‘i’s food sovereignty by reducing our dependence on imported meats.” 

• For more information on the butchery program or to apply for the next butchery cohort starting August 29, 2025, visit: https://edvance.hawaii.hawaii.edu/butchery or call (808) 934-2700.

Keeping a ʻdying artʻ alive

Students from UH Mānoa and UH Hilo echoed similar sentiments about the program’s impact on their personal and professional growth.

“This butchery course has been one of the most impactful experiences I’ve had,” said UH Mānoa animal science (pre-veterinary) student Amelia Mooney. “Every lesson has taught me something meaningful and helped me grow. Butchery is a dying art, and whether I practice in a home or in a shop, I’m proud to help keep it alive and pass on the knowledge I’ve gained.”

Bill Wong, the owner of 17 Ranch in Kohala, serves as the program’s lead instructor.

“This course is a small piece, but it comes at a time when we are concerned about the future of our planet and our food sources,” Wong said. “What students learn in six weeks would normally take a year to learn in the workforce.”

For more go to Hawaiʻi CC.