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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.