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  • 28 Jan 2021 7:53 PM | Alla Kostenko (Administrator)

    Learn How to Spray Legally & What to Spray:

    • How to read the spray product label
    • How to stay safe with PPE & REIs
    • Protecting your workers
    • How to calculate copper spray amounts
    • When to spray copper, biologicals, or Beauveria bassiana
    • When to combine spray products

    Cal Westergard of HDOA - Slides

    Andrea Kawabata of CTAHR - Slides

    Webinar Video Recording

  • 21 Jan 2021 7:33 PM | Alla Kostenko (Administrator)

    The HCA, Synergystic Hawaii Agricultural Council (SHAC) and the Hawaii State Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) held the first-ever Taiwan Virtual Coffee Mart in mid-November.

    The event connected HCA members with members of the Taiwan coffee industry.  More than 30 coffee professionals attended on location in Taipei to learn about Hawaii’s distinct growing regions, diverse coffee varietals and innovative processing methods.  The event succeeded in showcasing both Hawaii's historical coffee tradition and a sense of growth and dynamism that mirrors the growing worldwide specialty coffee industry.  

    The event was part of the Market Access Program (MAP) grant that the HCA, via SHAC, has been granted to explore and grow exports of Hawaiian coffee to our target markets of Taiwan, China & Hong Kong.   We will continue to keep you updated on the MAP marketing events planned for 2021 and beyond.

    Here is the link to the Youtube copy of the 2020 Virtual Trade Show.

    Ralph Gaston
    HCA Representative for SHAC
    ralphgaston@islacoffees.com

  • 20 Jan 2021 4:41 PM | Alla Kostenko (Administrator)

    Please print and distribute this poster in your community. Click here for the PDF version.


  • 20 Jan 2021 4:30 PM | Alla Kostenko (Administrator)

    Please click here to see the PDF file with details about the CFAP 2 - Round 2 program. Click here to get help applying.

  • 19 Dec 2020 10:14 PM | Alla Kostenko (Administrator)

    USDA Seeks Applications for Grants to Help Agricultural Producers and Small Rural Businesses Develop and Market New Products

    WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2020 – United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand today invited applications for grants to help agricultural producers and small rural businesses develop and market new products.

    Approximately $33 million in grants is available under the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. The Agency may also utilize any funding that becomes available through enactment of fiscal year (FY) 2021 appropriations.

    The grants may be used to develop new products from raw agricultural products or to promote new markets for established products. Veterans, socially-disadvantaged groups, beginning farmers and ranchers, operators of small- and medium-sized family farms and ranches, and farmer and rancher cooperatives are given special priority.

    USDA encourages applications that will support recommendations made in the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB) to help improve life in rural America.

    Applicants are encouraged to consider projects that provide measurable results in helping rural communities build robust and sustainable economies through strategic investments. Key strategies include:

    • Achieving e-Connectivity for Rural America
    • Developing the Rural Economy
    • Harnessing Technological Innovation
    • Supporting a Rural Workforce
    • Improving Quality of Life  

    For additional information, see the notice in the Federal Register.

    If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.

  • 16 Dec 2020 8:20 PM | Alla Kostenko (Administrator)

    From: Joan Obra
    Vice President: United Ka'u Farmers Cooperative
    Partner: Rusty's Hawaiian and Isla Custom Coffees


    RE:  Zoom Meeting on Soil Health
    Date and Time: Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, at 2:30 pm. 

    Since the arrival of Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) in Hawaii, farmers have been told that maintaining healthy trees is key to fighting this pest. But tree health depends on soil health — and the copper-based fungicides for CLR pose certain challenges to our soils. 

    What’s a farmer to do? Join us for this Zoom webinar to discover good-management practices for copper fungicide use. You’ll hear a review of scientific literature about these fungicides and their residual effects. And you’ll learn about SOLVITA soil-respiration test kits, a tool that measures chemical and biological soil parameters. Your instructor is Dr. Melanie Willich, The Kohala Center’s 
    Director of Applied ʻĀina-Based Agriculture.

    Register in advance for this meeting:
    https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUsdeGtpjksHdfoVQpeR4ZEmnxOVcxCPHr0  
    After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.


    Thank you,
    Joan Obra
  • 01 Dec 2020 9:02 PM | Alla Kostenko (Administrator)

    Aloha all:

    Here is the Mitigation Strategies for Coffee Rust (Hemileia vastatrix) in Hawaii document, developed by the USDA PPQ Plant Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Laboratory for the current situation in Hawaii.  It is somewhat general but it is nice to have the various strategies summarized all in one place.  Note that it did not include systemics insecticides because they are not yet available for use in Hawaii.  Feel free to use and/or distribute as needed.

    Mahalo,

    Kevin

    Kevin M. Hoffman
    Plant Industry Administrator/State Plant Regulatory Official
    Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture
    Phone:  808-973-9535

  • 24 Nov 2020 6:22 PM | Alla Kostenko (Administrator)

    Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) has infested Hawai‘i island and Maui.  The Hawai‘i Board of Agriculture Chairperson has issued an interim rule restricting the movement of coffee and other CLR carriers from Hawai‘i island and Maui.  The interim rule goes into effect on Friday, November 20, 2020.  For more information, please see the attached news release.  For additional detail about the restrictions, the interim rule may be found at: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Final-Interim-Rule-20-1-Nov.20.2020.pdf

    Mahalo,

    County of Hawaii

    Department of Research and Development

    Marcia Yoshiyama

    Economic Development Technician

    County of Hawaii 

    Department of Research and Development

    25 Aupuni Street, Room 1301

    Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720

    Direct Line: (808) 961-8085

    Email: Marcia.Yoshiyama@hawaiicounty.gov

    Find help for your small business at www.hawaiicounty.gov/covidbusinesshelp

  • 11 Nov 2020 3:09 PM | Alla Kostenko (Administrator)

    CLR Sanitation Protocol (PDF)

    (Adopted from Rapid Ohia Death Protocol)

    As a precaution, please adopt the following decontamination protocols regardless of where you are surveying/gathering materials.

    Decontaminate before and after you survey/collect samples.

    Never go from a suspected affected site to another site without cleaning your shoes, tools, and vehicle (when possible).

    Tools and shoes should be cleaned with 70% rubbing alcohol solution after removal of any surface debris. Correctly label a spray bottle with a Sharpie pen as “70% isopropyl alcohol - Flammable”. Fill the spray bottle with isopropyl alcohol. Always take this bottle with you in any field vehicle for use after all field activities. Store in vehicle in such a manner that it does not spill.

    A freshly prepared 10% solution of chlorine bleach and water can be used as long as tools are oiled afterwards, as chlorine bleach will corrode metal tools.

    Clothing should be machine washed with detergent in hot water.
    Vehicles used in infected areas should be thoroughly cleaned; power washing is recommended.

    Please be careful of the alcohol and bleach, and follow all label precautions to prevent damage to your eyes, skin, respiratory system, clothing, and equipment.

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