Taro Task Force Briefs Lawmakers

The House Committee on Agriculture held an informational briefing to discuss issues of public concern regarding the current and future availability of taro and the protection and availability of taro producing lands. Representatives from the Taro Task Force briefed the Committee on the current state and possible future of taro in Hawaii then fielded questions.

The Task Force was established in 2008 and is composed of 18 members representing all of the major stakeholders regarding taro. Their recommendations included improving access to water in taro growing communities, increased apple snail containment and control, identifying and controlling invasive kalo varieties, and furthering the “board and stone in every home” movement.

Committee on Agriculture Chair Rep. Jessica Wooley scheduled the briefing to better inform committee members of the state of taro in Hawaii, so they will have as much information as possible when considering current legislation relating to Hawaii’s most culturally significant crop.

Mana Ai Daniel Anthony provided lawmakers with a taste of what's at stake

Decision making on HB484and HB734, both dealing with the protection of taro, will take place tomorrow at 8:00 am in Conference Room 325 of the State Capitol.

GMOs an Early Theme in Agriculture

World renowned food security, food sovereignty, and sustainable agriculture advocate Dr. Vandana Singh was scheduled to speak at the Capitol this morning, but her arrival on island was delayed causing her to miss the engagement. Instead, a roundtable discussion on agriculture, specifically Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) took place. The panel was composed of Reps Jessica Wooley and Lauren Cheape, national and local experts in the field, and a special guest from Molokai who has experienced, first-hand, the impact GMOs can have on surrounding communities. The standing-room-only crowd included former Governor John Waihee, several Senators, community organizations, and private citizens.

Rep. Jessica Wooley hosted the panel

Lawmakers told the public to expect a number of pieces of legislation regarding GMOs and sustainable agriculture to be introduced this session. The centerpiece of the legislative package is a bill proposing to require the labeling of GMO fruits and vegetables grown in Hawaii for consumption on the islands. The narrow focus of the bill has proponents optimistic that Hawaii may become the first state in the nation to require some form of GMO labeling.

Paul Achitoff (left) attorney for Earth Justice and  Andrew Kimbrell co-author of California's Proposition 37

Jordan's Journal: Kamuela Enos

There is a lot of talk about supporting local agriculture, encouraging young people to farm, and revitalizing economies in impoverished areas. Kamuela Enos, Director of Social Enterprise for Ma'o Organic Farms, is doing all of those things and more on O'ahu's west side.

Rep. Jo Jordan hosts Mr. Enos on the next episode of Jordan's Journal, where they discuss some of the truly amazing, revolutionary things taking place at Ma'o. The farm gained a great deal of notoriety when First Lady Michelle Obama made several visits to the farm during APEC. You may also recognize their produce from top restaurants like Roy's, Alan Wong's, Chef Mavro, Town, and Prima. Ma'o products are available for sale in Whole Foods, Down to Earth, Foodland, several farmers markets across O'ahu, and through a weekly CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Box.

Producing local, organic, healthy, and delicious fruits and vegetables is only part of the story of Ma'o. The 501(c)(3) non-profit is operated by interns from the Wai'anae area. Mr. Enos explains their internship program, which includes 100% tuition assistance for Leeward Community College and the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, monthly stipends, and matching interns savings account contributions 2:1.

Mr. Enos discusses the "culture of college" Ma'o is creating in a place where 90% of youth don't complete a year of college. Ma'o firmly believes that "poverty is an attitude" and is working directly with the youth to overcome the dysfunction and disconnection to the land that has crippled the leeward side of O'ahu.

Ma'o stands as an example of what the future of Hawai'i could be and serves as an inspiration to us all. Please tune in to Olelo Channel 54 this Sunday, April 1 at 8:30 pm and learn more about what's taking place in the Lualualei Valley. The episode will be rebroadcast on Monday, April 2 and Monday, April 9 at 1:00 pm.

Episode 15 - Kamuela Enos of MA`O Organic Farms from Jo Jordan on Vimeo.

Agriculture Awareness Day 2012

House Ag Chair Tsuji, Speaker Say, Senate Ag Chair Nishihara, and Rep. Giugni  greeting attendees

Today was the sixth annual Agriculture Awareness Day at the Capitol. The event was sponsored by the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation and co-hosted by House Committee on Agriculture Chair and Vice Chair, Clift Tsuji and Mark Hashem and their Senate counterparts, Clarence Nishihara and Gilbert Kahele. 

"Kaua'i Grown" legislators, Reps. Kawikami and Tokioka supporting their local farmers

The Farm Bureau invited agriculture industry representatives from across the state to take part in the festivities. This year's participants included: Adopt-a-Beehive with Alan Wong Program, Aikane Plantation, City and County of Honolulu, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species (CGAPS), College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, DLNR, FFA, For J's Hawaii, Hali'imaile Pineapple Company, Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Hawaii Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Hawaii Coffee Association, Hawaii Conservation Alliance, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Food Industry Association, Hawaii Food Manufacturers Association, Hawaii Papaya Industry Association, Hawaii Restaurant Association, Ho Farms, Hula Girl Foods, Kamiya Gold, Kauai County Farm Bureau, Lani's Cattle and Goat Company, Legacy Land Conservation Program, Manoa Honey Company, maui County Farm Bureau, Maui Soil & Water Conservation Districts, Monsanto, Oahu Invasive Species Committee, Pioneer Hi-Bred, Roselani Ice Cream, USDA, and Young Brothers.

Vice Chair Hashem after enjoying a cup of 100% Kona Coffee

In addition to getting to taste samples of delicious, locally produced food, those in attendance were also presented with information regarding invasive species, conservation, and the application of biotechnology in agriculture. Ag Awareness day also provides an excellent opportunity for lawmakers and the public to meet our farmers face-to-face and learn about what they do.

Rep. Oshiro tasting fresh, local honey

House Finance Passes Agriculture Package

Late Friday afternoon, the House Committee on Finance approved a legislative package supporting agriculture in Hawai’i. The bills advancing are:

HB 2100 Relating to Bees.  HB2100 appropriates funds to the University of Hawai’i for statewide honeybee hive research. The bill will make an appropriation to be determined to each to the counties of Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, and Kauai, and the University of Hawai’i at Hilo for hands-on training with honeybee hives.

“The sale of honey, value-added honey products, and queen bees constitutes a significant portion of our agriculture industry. Providing funding to five locations on four islands will allow more of the state to become shareholders in this lucrative business,” said House Committee on Agriculture Chair, Rep. Clift Tsuji.

HB 280 Relating to Agriculture.  House Bill 280 will remove the requirement that all Hawaii-grown green coffee beans shall be inspected and certified by the Department of Agriculture and permits Hawaii-grown green coffee beans to be shipped outside the area of their geographic origin without being inspected by the Department of Agriculture.

“We required the inspections in an effort to help coffee farmers in response to a high profile coffee bean fraud incident a few years back," added Rep. Tsuji.  "Without sufficient funding for the inspectors, this mandate has done more harm to the industry than good and needs to be repealed."

HB 2244 Relating to Agriculture Inspectors. House Bill 2244 authorizes the Department of Agriculture to establish compliance agreements with the federal government and other states for inspections conducted in the state of origin. This will mitigate the risk posed to biosecurity in the form of invasive species being transported with imported goods. The legislation will also bring Hawaii's fruit, vegetable, and flower export industries into compliance with federal regulations and requirements from other states.

“HB2244 is a classic win-win piece of legislation for the state of Hawaii," said Tsuji. "It protects our state from the threat of invasive species coming in with imports, eases the burden on our agriculture inspectors, and eliminates federal and interstate compliance issues for our agricultural export industries.”

HB 1943 Relating to Invasive Species. House Bill 1943 makes an appropriation to the Department of Agriculture to fund the plant quarantine detector-dog program.  State funds will replace Federal funds that sponsored the detector-dog program that ended with recent budget cuts. The primary role of the detector-dog program is to prevent the brown tree snake from coming to Hawai’i, but it will also cover other threats to the state's biosecurity.

“We have seen how the brown tree snake has decimated the native flora and fauna of Guam, and I am not willing to see the same thing happen to Hawaii," added Rep. Tsuji.  "Biosecurity doesn’t only protect our environment and native species, it fortifies our tourism and agricultural industries."

HB 1942 Relating to Agriculture.  HB1942 allows moneys in the pest inspection, quarantine, and eradication fund to be expended for the Electronic Importer Manifest Program (EIMP). The EIMP is a Department of Agriculture mandate that provides for the transfer from an importer to the plant quarantine inspector of data on all commodities of interest imported by aircraft or ship.

“There are excessive backlogs in agriculture inspection resulting from the lack of implementation of integrated technologies, most notably the EIMP,” said Rep. Tsuji. “Appropriating funds for EIMP will place the program in compliance with existing requirements and eliminate the backlog keeping agriculture products from reaching the market in a timely manner.”

HB 1941 Making an Appropriation for Agricultural Inspection Facilities and Related Infrastructure.  HB1941 makes a total appropriation to be determined to establish agricultural inspection biosecurity facilities and related infrastructure at the Honolulu International Airport, Kona International Airport, Kawaihae Harbor, Kamuela Vacuum Cooling Plant, and Honolulu Harbor.

“The creation of adequate agricultural inspection biosecurity facilities at our main airports and harbors is essential in our efforts to prevent invasive species from wreaking havoc on our ecosystems and biodiversity,” said Tsuji. “If an invasive species were to take root in Hawai’i, the results have the potential to be permanent and devastating.”

HB 2093 Relating to Agricultural Education.  HB2093 establishes a Center for Agricultural Leadership within the University of Hawai’i at Hilo and requires the University of Hawai’i to establish a two-year pilot project at one high school in each county to determine the steps necessary for a school farm to be food safety certified by the Department of Agriculture.

“The creation of the Center for Agricultural Leadership will increase opportunities for an agricultural education and career path throughout the University of Hawai’i system,” said Rep. Tsuji. “Developing a method for making school farms food safety certified will break down the biggest barrier in supplying our children with fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables.”

HB 1947 Relating to Agriculture.  House Bill 1947 authorizes the Department of Agriculture to establish an Agricultural Safety and Security Program, which will be accompanied by an Agricultural Practices Audit and Certification Revolving Fund.  Under the voluntary program, the Department will conduct audit and certification services indicating a producer’s compliance with generally accepted agricultural and management practices as well as food security and traceability requirements.

“Recent rat lungworm nematode cases on the Big Island show that Hawai’i is not immune from the threat of food borne illness,” said Rep. Tsuji. “The agriculture industry has developed a series of practices to mitigate these risks. HB 1947 will benefit farmers and consumers of local produce by assuring everything going to market will be safe for consumption.”

The Finance Committee deferred HB 2668 Relating to Agriculture for now, but will be working on the language of the bill within the next few days.  Currently, HB2668 amends an important agricultural land tax credit to allow an additional fifteen percent credit for drought mitigation and changes the tax credit cap from $7,500,000 per year to $5,000,000 per year for the 2012 tax year, and $7,000,000 for the 2013, 2014, and 2015 tax years. The bill also creates a livestock feed tax credit for 2012 and creates a feed development tax credit program for 2013 and 2014.

“House Bill 2668 provides much needed assistance to the business side of agribusiness,” added Rep. Tsuji. “We currently import 100% of our feedstock and this piece of legislation will also promote the development of a local feedstock industry.”

Agriculture Update 2/8/12

Today, the Committee on Agriculture adopted several measures aimed at easing the burden on small farmers and bolstering the agriculture industry statewide.

The issue of funding for plant quarantine inspectors and support staff is critical to the agriculture industry as a whole; inadequate inspection leads to grave consequences, especially for neighbor islands. Rep. McKelvey (Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kapalua, Maalaea, Kihei) pointed out that a lack of funding may close Maui's airport inspection facility, crippling the local economy. The Committee unanimously passed HB1940, which would provide $2.4 million to fund 38 inspectors and 3 support staff positions statewide.

For decades, farmers have been struggling with the building permit process. Two bills intending to address the problem, HB1949 and HB2424, were heard by the Committee today. The bills were nearly identical and would allow farmers to build structures without requiring a county permit. HB2424 ended up being adopted and advances to be heard by the Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources.

The state grades agricultural land from “A” very good to “E” not suitable. The land's grade is a key factor in determining what purpose it may be used for. During the hearing, Rep. McKelvey asked the DoA when the last time the Department graded Agricultural land in the state was. The answer: 1972. A lot can happen over the course of four decades. Rep. McKelvey went on to cite several properties that are still classified as grade "A" agricultural land, despite no longer having any water supply or infrastructure. You can expect to hear more regarding a reevaluation of land grades in the near future.

HB1948 was heard last Friday, but decision making was deferred until today. The bill, which received overwhelming support from the community, as well as state agencies, will strengthen existing laws regarding agricultural theft. The Committee unanimously adopted the measure and it will advance to the Committee on Judiciary.

Chair Tsuji announced that there is new language proposed for HB1947, so the bill will be heard again on Friday, February 10th. HB1947 proposed HD1 requires the Department of Agriculture to establish an agricultural safety and security program. Testimony should be based on the Proposed HD1. Friday's hearing announcement can be viewed here.

Agriculture Update

Hawaii Farmers Union President Glenn Martinez testifies in favor of HB2667

Three bills were adopted by the Committee on Agriculture today, all of which were heard during a joint session with the Committee on Economic Revitalization & Business. Bills HB2151, HB2317, and HB2432 represent significant steps toward developing our agriculture industry by helping local farmers.

Introduced by Rep. Chang, HB2151 will allow farmers to sell products from their farms on their farms through the establishment of farm stands. HB2317, which was introduced by Rep. McKelvey, will repeal the prohibition against overnight accommodations as part of agricultural tourism activities on farms. These two bills will provide farmers with an opportunity to bring in much needed, additional revenue, revenue that may be the difference in staying in business or not.

An administration bill, HB2432, will exempt the purchase of fresh meats, produce, animals, and plants by the government from the Hawaii Public Procurement Code. This measure will enable school cafeterias to use local ingredients to feed our children, providing a boost to the local economy while increasing the nutritional value of school meals.

Many of the bills that were deferred received a great deal of attention and heated testimony. Introduced by Speaker Say, HB1827 included a 1 cent fee on each pound of green coffee beans grown in or imported into the state to support an effort to eradicate the coffee borer beetle as well as other provisions aimed at dealing with the potentially devastating threat posed by the insects. The bill was ultimately deferred, but money will be taken from the Barrel Tax to help fund a coffee borer beetle eradication program.

The Department of Agriculture and Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation joined together in strong opposition to HB2301 and HB2667, which were both deferred indefinitely by Chair Tsuji. HB2301, submitted by Rep. Carroll, closely mirrors HB2703 in setting a mandate to double the state's consumption of locally produced food by 2020. The DoA and HFBF agreed with the bill in theory, but opposed the prohibition measure in the bill. Their contention is that prohibiting landowners from reclassifying agricultural lands of 25 or more acres for non-agricultural purposes is not a suitable penalty if landowners fail to meet the goal of doubling our local food consumption from 10% to 20% in 7 years.

Introduced by Chair Tsuji, HB2667, would authorize the DoA to lease land under its jurisdiction to qualified farmers at a reduced rate for food production. Despite testifying several times before the Committee in favor of doubling our local food consumption, both the DoA and the HFBF, opposed this piece of legislation. Their testimony was critical of  HB2667 because it would discriminate against other forms of agriculture, which include GMO seed corn and biofuel crop production. DoA Chair Russell Kokubun went on to say that the Department "does not favor food production."

Another bill introduced by Chair Tsuji, HB1948, received unanimous support from the Committee and from testimony. The bill was deferred for decision making until February 8th to provide lawmakers time to finalize some of the language before adoption. The bill would strengthen laws concerning agricultural theft.

The next hearing for the Committee on Agriculture will be on Monday, February 6, at 11:15am in Conference Room 325 of the Capitol. The agenda can be found here.

An Update on Agriculture

David Case of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association submits testimony

Concepts like sustainability, food security, and food sovereignty have made their way into conversations throughout the state. Today's Committee on Agriculture hearing vetted several pieces of legislation aimed at channeling this new found interest in sustainable agriculture into policy. Of the 11 bills covered at the hearing, 4 dealt with overarching policy directives relating to food security.

Dean Okimoto, HFBF President/Ho'opili consultant, testifies before the committee

A great deal of testimony, both written and verbal, was submitted regarding these bills; the overwhelming majority of which was in support of the legislation. The committee unanimously adopted 3 of the 4 bills and deferred HB1947, dealing with the creation of an agricultural safety and security program, to be heard again on February 8th. Two of the adopted measures, HB2430, which will create an agricultural development and food security program within the Department of Agriculture, and HB2431, which outlines objectives and policies to support the purchase and consumption of locally grown products, were part of a policy package from the Governor's office. The final bill to be adopted, HB2703, will require the Department of Agriculture to develop a food sustainability standard to promote local food production as well as mandate doubling our locally produced food consumption by 2020, was the only time the discussion became contentious.

Board of Agriculture Chair, Russell Kokubun, submits testimony

Although they both supported the bill, Dean Okimoto, President of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and Russell Kokubun, Chairman of the Board of Agriculture, requested the punitive measure for land owners who fail to meet the goal of increased production of locally grown food be stripped from HB2703 (if landowners fail to meet the goal, they will be unable to re-designate agricultural land of 25 acres or more for other purposes until they are compliant). Hawaii Farmers Union President, Glenn Martinez, questioned the effectiveness of the legislation if its sole enforcement mechanism was removed. Without mentioning it by name, Mr. Martinez brought up the elephant in the room; Ho'opili. Mr. Martinez pointed out the fact that while both the HFBF and the DoA testified in support of doubling the amount of locally produced food to make it onto dinner tables in the state, they also stand behind the controversial planned housing development, which will uproot the state's largest produce producer, Aloun Farms, and turn 1,500 acres of prime agricultural land into 11,750 new homes.

Hawaii Farm Union President, Glenn Martinez, testifying before the Committee

The next Committee on Agriculture hearing is Friday, February 3 at 8:00am in room 312 at the Capitol. The agenda for the hearing can be found here.

Coffee Borer Meeting Today

Rep. Clift Tsuji and Carol Okada, Plant Quarantine Manager at the State Department of Agriculture, appeared this morning on Hawaii News Now to discuss the infestation of the Coffee Berry Borer and its impact on Hawaii's coffee industry. See video here.

The meeting to discuss a possible quarantine is scheduled today at 1:30 p.m. at the Plant Quarantine station.

State capitol garden

Photo: Vermont State House Garden. Cabbage harvested in June 2009

I was excited to read on NCSL's blog the Thicket that Vermont has a State House Garden, making it the first and possibly the only vegetable garden to be planted on a state capitol lawn.

Located in Montpelier, the garden is maintained by local volunteers. All the food harvested goes directly to local food banks. Vermont lawmakers approved the garden as part of an effort to promote sustainability, and to encourage residents to plant their own gardens.

Here's a link to the harvest report. This is the first year of the garden, and they reaped their 4th harvest of the year earlier in September. The bounty, posted by applescott:

"The fourth harvest was great, even if a little surreal with the Kansas protesters spitting nasty epithets at passers by, and the anti-protesters smiling serenely back and holding a bake sale! All the food we harvested—and there was a lot—went to the Bethany Soup Kitchen, which really appreciated every beet, carrot and bean.

Cabbage – 8 lbs – 4 oz
Carrots – 5 lbs – 4.5 oz
Beans – 3 lbs – 14 oz
Beets – 27 lbs
Kale – 5 lbs – 12.25 oz

More kale, collards, broccoli, lettuce, beets and spinach were planted."

Is this an idea that could be planted for the Hawaii State Capitol ?

Agriculture Layoffs Will Impact Hawaii Exports

The House Agriculture Committee will hold a second informational briefing on the impact of potential layoffs for agricultural inspectors. Tomorrow, Ag Chair Rep. Clift Tsuji will focus on Hawaii's wide range of exports. You can see it live on Olelo, Ch. 49.

WHAT: The House Agriculture Committee will hold a meeting to gather information on the negative impact of potential agriculture inspector layoffs on Hawaii’s export industry, including plants, tropical flowers, tropical fruits/papaya, macadamia nuts, coffee, and more.


WHEN: Thursday, September 10, 2009
1:00 p.m.


WHERE: State Capitol, Conference Room 325

Food Certification Pilot Program Expected to Strengthen Agriculture/Tourism Relationship

Nancy Cook Lauer wrote a focus piece on HB1471, a measure that establishes a safe food certification pilot program, in today's West Hawaii Today. The story is here. The bill was passed by the legislature, vetoed by the governor, and then passed into law through a legislative override last week.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Clift Tsuji, the chair of the House Agriculture Committee. The pilot program is aimed to help farmers successfully manage the safe food certification process so that more of their product can be sold to Hawaii hotels and restaurants.

While the article focuses on the visitor industry, it is clear that local residents are also searching for fresh, locally grown produce and products, as evidenced by the growing popularity in farmers' markets around the state.

Here are some quotes from Nancy's article:

"It's a better working environment for our employees, and it gives the consumers an extra level of confidence." Richard Ha, Hamakua Springs Country Farms.

"We recognize that our guests' tastes are evolving and our new Sustainable Menu introduces them to quality Big Island foods." Paul Matsumoto, Sheraton Keauhou Food and Beverage Director.

"In today's agricultural climate, food safety is a consumer demand and food producers must be held accountable for food-borne illnesses. Hawaii's already fragile (agricultural) industry cannot afford even one epidemic outbreak." Rep. Clift Tsuji, House Agriculture Committee Chair.

"If even one incident were to take place here where tourists got sick from eating food from any of the many restaurants or hotels that service our tourists, Hawaii would have a black eye forever." Mark Teruya, President and CEO, Armstrong Produce.

The Rodney Dangerfield of the Economy

The room was packed, and the message came through loud and clear at the informational briefing this morning on the state of Hawaii's agriculture industry. It was a joint meeting of the Committees on Agriculture and Water, Land & Ocean Resources.

The industry faces its more critical period ever, and without significant changes, agriculture as we know it, may cease to exist in Hawaii in the near future. Here are some of the highlights from the briefing:

Dean Okimoto - President of Hawaii Farm Bureau, Owner of Nalo Farms

Nalo Farms is at great risk. Okimoto has been working on an expansion project for a few years which he hopes to open on Monday. He has poured much of his savings into the project as he has had to pay off a loan with no incoming project revenue for the past 15 months. He says that it feels like he is losing business, not gaining business, and even the farm itself is not doing well.

The danger for the industry is that once we lose a farm, it never comes back. Nalo Farms is not alone. Several farms have closed in recent months. Part of the problem is that agriculture is like "the Rodney Dangerfield of the economy" - it gets no respect. In particular, Hawaii's tourism industry is highly dependent on agriculture, but Okimoto believes that there is little recognition from the tourism industry, nor collaboration between the two industries.

Buddy Nobriga - President of Nobriga Ranch

Nobriga contends that the Hawaii Department of Agriculture is one of the smallest Ag Departments in the nation. The state needs a larger, stronger department that can help the farmers and ranchers. There are not enough inspectors to monitor the quality of imported milk. We don't have strong relationships with the USDA. We don't have the land to establish dairies.

We need agriculture in order to be sustainable. In a way, agriculture and farmers are like the "security" of the state.

Meredith Ching - Alexander and Baldwin (large landowner)

Large landowners face the same problems as small farms. The lack of rainfall in the past decade has had a cumulative effect on island crops. 2008 was the driest year over the past 85 years. In addition, the state has been in a prolonged drought for the past decade, with the past two years being exceptionally dry.

Yvonne Izu - Hawaii Farm Bureau, former state water commissioner

The legislature needs to amend the state water code law. The East Maui decision is a perfect example of how the water code does not support agriculture. This is one way the legislature can help farmers without spending money. Farmers do not have hope that agriculture can survive in this state.

Richard Ha - President, Hamakua Springs

The world has changed. He has had to lay off 20 workers recently. He says you can tell that farming is bad when fertilizer sales go down. Fertilizer sales have been going down since last spring. There is, however, an opportunity to use agricultural lands for energy crops. A bill passed last year allows farmers to finance loans for energy projects, although this may not be quite enough incentive to bring more people into farming.

He has a blog now. "These days, you gotta blog if you're a farmer."

Eric Tanouye - Greenpoint Nursery

Tanouye's 20-year-old son is in college and has said that he wants to work in the family business. This excites Tanouye because it would mean three generations working in the business. Tanouye is also the President of the Florists and Shippers Association and he has visited members across the state on all the islands. All of them face very difficult times. It is unprecedented.

Kylie Matsuda - Matsuda and Fukuyama Farms in Kahuku

She represents the 4th generation of farmers in Kahuku. She has a degree in Tourism Industry Management, but wanted to go back and be part of the family farm business. Her parents did not want her to do it, but she wanted to use her tourism expertise and expand the business into agri-tourism. She had to fight to get her job at the farm. She feels that farming can become viable again if you consider value-added products which will bring additional dollars.

For example, tourists can't take home fresh fruits and vegetables, but they take back dried fruit, jams and jellies, and other products. There are also farm-related activities to market.

What can be done? Some suggestions:

*Clarify the state policy on water. The East Maui decision seemed to put farmers at a lower level of beneficiary than others. The water commission needs to understand the importance and value of the agriculture industry to the state.

*Provide tax credits for new farmers. Incent farmers to start farming.

*Support more farmers' markets. It provides more revenue and forces farmers to interface with their market and the public, and through dialog, they can improve their product and have fun talking to people.

*Dean Okimoto summarized: He wanted to make it clear that the farmers are not looking to the legislature to solve all their problems. However, the legislature can be helpful in making other industries and the general public more aware that farming is critical to our state. Right now, tourism does not appreciate or support agriculture. Someone needs to hold their (tourism's) feet to the fire in helping agriculture.

Chair Clift Tsuji and Chair Ken Ito expressed their appreciation to the farmers for coming today; they understood the gravity of the situation. They will be using the information from the briefing to propose legislation for the 2009 session.

Public Info Meeting on Strawberry Guava on the Big Island

Lawmakers, state and federal agencies will hold a public informational meeting on the Big Island to discuss the measures proposed by the Plant Pest Control Branch of the Department of Agriculture to stop the spread of the strawberry guava, an invasive alien weed.

The meeting will be held on Thursday, June 5 from 6 - 8 p.m. at the UH-Hilo Campus, UCB 127.

The current plan is to introduce a scale insect from Brazil, a natural enemy of the strawberry guava, to the island that will make it easier for groups to remove the plants from the forest.

Those opposed to the plan argue that the strawberry guava plant is a source of free food for many residents and that a better way of controlling the spread of the plant without releasing a new insect into the forest and eliminating a food source should be considered. Some expressed skepticism of the claim that the insects will not attack other plants in the forest in a Hawaii Tribune-Herald news article.

State officials from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Big Island Invasive Species Committee, and Big Island lawmakers will be present.

Representative Clift Tsuji (District 3 – S. Hilo, Panaewa, Puna, Keaau, Kurtistown) will be the moderator.

Photo (top): Locally known as waiwai, the strawberry guava fruit.

Photo (bottom): A thicket of strawberry guava near Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

Photos from http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/

College of Ag could be relocated to Kunia

Members from the Committee on Higher Education visited the site in Kunia yesterday, where the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) will move their Agribusiness Incubator Program and Poamoho Research Station projects and personnel to if HB3309, HD1, a measure appropriating $250,000 to aid with the relocation, becomes law.

"Locating the Agribusiness Incubator Program at this agricultural business complex will make it easier for start-ups and established businesses to benefit from consulting and product development services they might not otherwise be able to access," said University of Hawaii Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw in a written testimony.

Several agricultural front runners, including the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center (HARC), the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii, and the Landscape Industry Council of Hawaii, are interested in co-locating operations to the Kunia site to share business-related resources.

Education Committee Chair Jerry Chang, the legislature representing South Hilo, said that bringing Hawaii agricultural groups together is a once in a life time opportunity.

With the increase of housing developments, farmlands have gradually dwindled. They are under extreme urban development pressure. In Ewa and Kunia, thousands of agricultural acres have already been - or will be - converted to homes and shopping centers.

Rep. Michael Magaoay, D46th (Kunia, Schofield), said, "We need to carry tradition and maintain agriculture in that [Kunia] area." Bringing our agricultural organizations together by creating a business complex for existing businesses to expand and mature, and new business to receive the support needed to develop successfully will help perpetuate agriculture in Hawaii, he said.

Campbell Estate is willing to contribute 119 acres of land, worker housing and office facilities to HARC. Del Monte, Inc., former lessee of the land, stopped producing pineapple in 2006, and will cease all operations in 2008 after the final crop is harvested.

"I'm thankful for Campbell Estate reaching out and HARC stepping forward to keep it [Kunia lands] in agriculture," Rep. Magaoay said.

The measure passed out of the Committee on Higher Education today. It is awaiting hearing with the Finance Committee.

Photo from the Star-Bulletin.

Dept. of Agriculture to brief lawmakers

The House Committee on Agriculture will receive a briefing from the Agriculture Department on pertinent issues such as agricultural loans, biosecurity, animal feed, and the upcoming report on the taro security and purity research program, pursuant to SCR206.

When: Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 9:00 a.m.
Where: State Capitol, Room 329

Rep. Tsuji aims to promote Agricultural Tourism

Photo: West Hawaii Today
The protea were in bloom when Agriculture Chair Rep. Clift Tsuji and other members of the House toured the Mealani Research Station in Kamuela on the Big Island Wednesday. Here's the West Hawaii Today story and the Hawaii Tribune Herald story.

Look for a number of proposals to support and develop agricultural tourism in the 2008 session. Tsuji commented that tourism would serve as another form of revenue for farmers and would take agriculture to a new level.

Tough Nut to Crack

Hawaii's macadamia nut industry had reason to celebrate over the Kamehameha Day weekend. The governor signed HB1628 into law on Friday, June 8th, requiring that macadamia nut product labels state the percentage of Hawaiian-grown mac nuts contained in the package. The bill was introduced by Big Island Rep. Bob Herkes who shepherded it through the legislative session.