Aloha HCA members,

On Thursday the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved a request from the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) to allow the use of a specific fungicide to help Hawai`i coffee growers manage and control the coffee leaf rust (CLR), a devastating plant pathogen.

The fungicide, Priaxor® Xemium, is not currently labeled by the EPA for specific use on coffee plants, but it is allowed for use to control fungi on leafy vegetables, strawberries, tomatoes, soybeans, wheat and many other crops. In March 2021, HDOA filed a request for a specific exemption with the EPA to allow the use of the fungicide on coffee plants. HDOA was notified of the approval of the emergency exemption yesterday which allows the fungicide to be used for up to one year or until use on coffee plants is added to the product label by EPA and the product’s producer.

The Hawaii Coffee Association wishes to thank the leadership and staff ant Hawaii’s Department of Agriculture, the University of Hawaii CTAHR, the US Environmental Protection Agency, USDA, BASF, The Hawaii Coffee Growers Association, Nutrien and all who contributed to this expedited application and approval. The ability for Priaxor, a translaminar fungicide, to be safely used on coffee is a major milestone in the battle against Coffee Leaf Rust in Hawaii. We have worked long and hard to ensure a rapid approval, timely education, and ensured ample supply of this product locally. We again thank and congratulate all who contributed to this effort.

PLEASE READ HDOA’s press release here.

Additionally our members discovered a Prevention and Control of Coffee Leaf Rust handbook that we think will be useful to you. You can view and download it here.

A big mahalo to our friends at Pacific Coffee Research for locating and sharing this handbook.

With warm Aloha,

Christopher A. Manfredi
President
Hawaii Coffee Association
president@hawaiicoffeeassoc.org
www.hawaiicoffeeassoc.org