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MULTI-AGENCY MEETING ON COFFEE LEAF RUST #12

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 9:30AM

Teleconferencing via ZOOM 

NOTES

●      Welcome/Introductions

●      Updates

o   HDOA

▪       Surveys

●      No new infestation zones

●      Increase in spread in known zones

●      Anticipate new rust expression in coming weeks

●      Lanai sample will be confirmed by early next week

▪       Communication

●      Radio ads

▪       Emergency Declaration / Section 18

●      If organic farmers do not have the emergency declaration permitting use of Preaxor farmers will not be able to use the fungicide spray in the time frame that Sec 18 is permitted and possibly would lose certification 

●      DoA: Please speak with Governor about permitting emergency declaration

o   HCGA

▪       Section 18 Application

●      Meeting with BASF, draft for section 18 is complete. Now waiting for information from manufacturer - efficacy studies, environmental info, impact to endangered species

●      Issues: if we are ready to take draft and submit to EPA, they will be ready to review quickly and grant crisis exemption 

●      We need certain things from HDOA: Enforcement protocol, record keeping information looks like, needs to be disseminated to growers, increase / enhanced outreach

●      We need to be ready as we only have 15 days to spray. Reluctant to submit a final draft to EPA if we are not ready to get the “best bang for our buck”.

●      No applicator license will be needed for spraying Preaxor once sect. 18 is granted

▪       Specific Exemption

●      If crisis exemption is pushed back so will specific exemption. Will take about 6 weeks likely and will have one year to apply Preaxor with the opportunity to extend into another year.

▪       Other

●      Chris will send an email to Phyllis at HDOA with specific asks from the department for Sect. 18 Application

o   USDA

▪       PBARC

●      Testing fungicides

o   All look promising so far

●      Testing resistance of varietals already growing in Hawaii

o   Protocol in place for doing so 

●      Other

o   Tracy working on getting permit amended for WCR plants

o   Observations on CLR rate - well managed farms are not showing incidents of heavy impact from CLR

o   Awaiting results on race identification

o   Surveyed 12 farms in Kona and 50% have been positive so far, 1-2% incidents up to 30%. USDA will release a survey next week.

▪       Farms owned by older growers that have infestations are not being treated due to inability to get out into the fields and relying on farm managers

●      Language barrier, need to work on IPM recommendations into actions, bridge gap between farm owners and workers

●      Management of feral coffees - Invasive Species and Watershed Partnerships have a lot of experience and could be a valuable asset in controlling

o   Lisa will reach out.

▪       Road sign signage?

▪       APHIS role

●      Strategic Plan to control Coffee Leaf Rust in Hawaii

o   Funding

o   Implementation

o   Importing Plant materials 

▪       Prioritizing varietals

▪       APHIS permits

o   UH CTAHR

▪       Education - Short term response; IPM

●      CBB workshop Jan 27, 28 and Feb 29. Registration online at Hawaiicoffeeed.com

●      HCA can host webinars

▪       Communication – in partnership with HDOA and private industry

●      Poster is approved will be emailed out to this group and ask to circulate and print copies in your network

o   Will have it translated

o   Can we have it resigned into a trifold to distribute to mills 

●      Pruning pub for CLR and CBB - in the works. Contact Andrea if you have any questions now.

●      Getting acreage by tomorrow and relaying to Kimo

▪       Grant applications

▪       Private fundraising

▪       IR-4 Pesticides

o   HARC