Kona Coffee Council News

2013 Kamehameha Schools Kona Coffee Label & Website Competition

Nancy Sechrist — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 13:26:53 GMT

2013 Kamehameha Schools Kona Coffee Label & Website Competition

To all Kona Coffee Farmers,

Enter your label and website for a chance to win over $1000 in great prizes! There is no entry fee.

Entries will be on display Tuesday, November 6 through Sunday, November 10, at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay. Winners will be announced on Thursday, November 7 along with the Kona Coffee Cupping Competition.

Entry form can be found here or on the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Web site

2013 Cream of the Crop Winners Announced

Nancy Sechrist — Sun, 08 Sep 2013 21:56:25 GMT

2013 Cream of the Crop Winners Announced

On August 24, 2013, the Kona Coffee Council sponsored another successful Cream of the Crop event at the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort, thanks to the support of the Four Seasons and Kamehameha Schools. Over 900 people attended the event, tasting 16 different coffees, sampling over a dozen different desserts, enjoying live music during the event and talking story with the coffee farmers.

Check out the Cream of the Crop page for winners, photos and details of this year's event. Cream of the Crop 2013

Document Available on Wage Standards

Nancy Sechrist — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:33:52 GMT

I have scanned and uploaded a flyer that was given out at the recent seminar on Labor. This Flyer entitled "What Farmers Need to Know About Payment of Wages Law" is available by clicking the title. It is also listed under "Resources" from the main menu to the left. Sorry about the cat bite marks in the corner.

I tried to find this publication on the government website listed at the top of the flyer and was unable to find it to link to it. Once I can get a link to an official version, I will update the links here.

HB 1524 Agricultural theft statute requires ownership and movement certificate

Nancy Sechrist — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 20:02:18 GMT

HB 1524 was newly enacted into law this past legislative session. Among other things, HB 1524 makes it a Class C Felony to sell or transport "lots of any agricultural commodity of more than two hundred pounds or with a value of at least $100 that is marketed for commercial purposes" without a completed Ownership & Movement Certificate. It is important that farmers be aware of the requirements of HB 1524.

Click here for more information from hawaii.gov

Cream of the Crop 2012 Mahalo and Results

Nancy Sechrist — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 01:24:44 GMT

The Cream of the Crop Committee and KCC would like to express our gratitude to all that participated and volunteered, and to Kamehameha Schools, and of course the Four Seasons Hualalai !

MAHALO!

Results of the competitions can be found at the Cream of the Crop link to the left.

Renewals by Mail are getting updated

Nancy Sechrist — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:51:34 GMT

Sorry I am a bit behind on getting all the renewals manually updated. Renewals that have arrived in the KCC mail box are in the process and I will get them all entered as soon as possible. See you Saturday at the Annual meeting.

Nancy Sechrist

How to Renew

Nancy Sechrist — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:08:29 GMT

How to Renew

Your log in name is your email address as shown in your renewal reminder. If you have never set a password or you don’t remember it, type in your membership email address in the box in the upper right corner and click on the “Forgot password” link. You will be sent instructions on how to set or reset your password.

Once you are logged in, click on the “View Profile” link and the page it takes you to will have a prominent button to lead you through renewing on line.

Or if you would just rather send in a check, make your check payable to Kona Coffee Council and mail it to
Kona Coffee Council
P.O. Box 2077
Kealakekua, HI 96750

Be sure to include the name the membership is under if it is not written on the check.

Don't forget to keep checking out our CBB information pages

Nancy Sechrist — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:36:45 GMT

We are posting all information as we receive it on our CBB Information Pages

Recent additions include the latest news from the task force meetings as well as related bills introduced in the state legislature.

Server upgrade over night....

Nancy Sechrist — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:25:57 GMT

Wild Apricot, the software that runs this site, will be doing an upgrade early Wednesday morning. I don't think it will be an issue for us since it will be completed before 7 AM Eastern time. Just FYI.

Where's the Renewal Page?

Nancy Sechrist — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:58:28 GMT

If you are looking for how to renew here on line, here's how to do it.

After you log in, there will be a link at the upper right called "View Profile". That should bring up a page with your membership details and a button that says "Renew until 1 January 2012". Click that button and just follow the instructions from there. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Nancy Sechrist, [email protected]">[email protected]

CTAHR CBB web site is up and available

Nancy Sechrist — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 10:08:48 GMT

CTAHR CBB web site is up and available

http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/site/CBB.aspx

Contents include the presentation that Dr. Bittenbender gave on Wed, December 6th on management practices.

They will be adding helpful links and other new material as they become available so check back often.

CTAHR also sent me this link to a Honolulu Start Advertiser article about the fungus that kills CBB.

Workshops: Managing Coffee Berry Borer on Your Farm

Nancy Sechrist — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:44:55 GMT

Managing Coffee Berry Borer on Your Farm

2 Workshops for farmers, pick the one you can attend

Wednesday December 8, 2010

Morning
9 to 11 am at the Imin Center, Holualoa
or
Afternoon
1 to 3 pm at Yano Hall, Captain Cook

Coffee Berry Borer (CCB) is serious pest of coffee but it can be managed on your farm by following the steps to be presented at this workshop. Handouts will be available.

Sponsored by Hawaii Coffee Association and CCB Task Force. Presentor HC Skip Bittenbender and Elsie Burbano, CTAHR/UH

Questions: Greenwell Farms, 808-323-2862 HC Skip Bittenbender 808-956-6043, email [email protected]">[email protected]

Skip
H.C. Skip Bittenbender, Ph.D.
Extension Specialist for Coffee, Kava and Cacao

Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences
CTAHR College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
University of Hawaii at Manoa
3190 Maile Way
Honolulu, HI 96822

tel. 808-956-6043
fax. 808-956-3894
office/lab location is 112 St. John Hall
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu
CTAHR's Farmer's Bookshelf www.CTAHR.Hawaii.edu/fb/
Cacao industry http://www.thechocolatelife.com/group/hawaiicacao

CBB Interim Rules annouced!

Nancy Sechrist — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 06:38:14 GMT

CBB Interim Rule 10-1

Effective December 2, 2010
http://hawaii.gov/hdoa/pi/ppc/coffee-berry-borer-folder/CBB%20interim%20rule10-1.PDF

Ag Labor Workshops in Kona and on Oahu

Nancy Sechrist — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 10:28:48 GMT

Click for Details on Ag Labor Workshops in Kona and on Oahu

CBB Project Request for Cooperators

Nancy Sechrist — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 10:22:53 GMT

From Shawn Steiman....

Attached, please find a letter from me and Elsie Burbano. We are applying for a grant to a research project to help control the coffee berry borer. We need 5 cooperating farms to participate.

[NYS] Here is Shawn and Elsie's letter

The above letter is a request for cooperators. Please, distribute it to your membership and and other farmers you may know. I'm also sending it to farmers whose addresses I have on hand.

I know things must be busy for you with the festival around the corner. However, the due date for the grant is Dec 3 and we need time to mull things over with the cooperators. Please, consider making this letter a priority.

Please, let me know you've received it and what you'll be doing with it.

Thanks,
Shawn

--
Coffea Consulting
Phone: 808-223-0982
http://coffeaconsulting.com
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/coffeaconsulting
Follow my coffee blog: http://www.roaste.com/CafeRoaste/CoffeeBlogs/shawn

"If during their efforts coffee tasters find something in the taste that
resists being said, that perhaps even resists being organized into their
discourse, that is where they focus their attention."
-Kenneth Liberman

Festival Offers opportunity to sell & promote their coffee at Old Airport

Nancy Sechrist — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 10:14:06 GMT

For the first time, during the special events of the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, they are offering the Kona farmers and roasters an opportunity to sell and promote their coffee.

From 11am to 4pm on November 10th at Makaeo (Old A) Pavillion.

Space is limited so reserve your table and for more information call Glenda Yamagata-Passalacqua @ 756-7689

Our Fedex Program just got better

Nancy Sechrist — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 10:11:11 GMT

Good News. Our Fedex Program just got better. Fedex knows they are losing some business to USPS due to flat rates, so they've increased some discounts.

Read more about it.

HI Nov 2010 PRODUCER SITE workshop announcement

Nancy Sechrist — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 09:56:53 GMT

From Stuart Nakamoto of UH

Announcing Two Risk Management Workshops

details click here

Farm Recordkeeping

and

Federal Crop Insurance and Disaster Assistance Programs for Big Island Growers (repeat)

Please RSVP by 3 days before the event to reserve your space:

Hilo with Kathy or Andrew at Komohana, at 981-5199

Kona with Joan at Kainaliu, at 322-0166

Waimea with Perci or Randy at Waimea, at 887-6183

Ocean View with Tony at 929-9224; email: [email protected]">[email protected]

Crop insurance & disaster assistance deadlines

Nancy Sechrist — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 09:50:34 GMT

This is a relayed message from Stuart T Nakamoto of the University of Hawaii
[email protected]

Coffee growers and industry contacts:

As you may know, CTAHR lost our extension agent in Kona earlier this year. With Virginia gone, much of my ties with especially the coffee industry were severely impacted.

I am writing to try and adjust for that. The message below and attached announcement are for your information, and I also request that you pass the word on to others as well. I emphasize that growers who do not sign up for USDA-RMA crop insurance will not be eligible for USDA-FSA disaster assistance. Is it worth the trouble? For what it's worth, this month I talked to a couple of coffee growers who received $2,000-$3,000 in assistance from FSA. It had cost them $30-$50/year plus their time and effort to sign up and do the required recordkeeping & reporting.

I know that drought has affected many growers, and now the coffee berry borer is a new threat. I don't know at this time if CBB damage would be covered by Federal programs, but what I can say is that if it is covered, growers who do not sign up will very likely NOT get assistance. Also, please note the sign up deadlines.

I suggest that especially without an agent, growers will need to make an extra effort to get information. I hope this helps.

--Stuart

----attached message----------

I am writing to provide information and to ask for your assistance in helping Hawaii's growers.

With a few months still to go, 2010 has already presented Hawaii's growers with multiple challenges. Among others, the economy is still hurting & the volcano still produces vog, the drought continues, and there have been new pests and diseases. Fortunately, Federal USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) crop insurance and USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Disaster Assistance programs have provided some relief. Some, but not enough, farmers and ranchers have received hundreds and even thousands of dollars in assistance.

Why haven’t more growers been helped? There are a number of growers who are not getting these benefits because they do not know about the programs or have essentially chosen not to participate by not acting on the information.

Perhaps as importantly, there has been a major change where FSA Disaster Assistance is now directly linked to Federal crop insurance; that is, producers must obtain crop insurance to be eligible for FSA’s disaster programs. For those crops that are non-insurable, coverage must be obtained under the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). This means that unlike the past when help might be provided to growers who need it, disaster assistance will be available only to growers who sign up beforehand. So in the event of, say a hurricane, drought, or major earthquake, growers without crop insurance or NAP cannot and will not be helped by FSA. This is also a trend that seems to be spreading to other programs.

Of note, for 2011 the sign up deadlines are December 1 of this year for NAP and December 31 for most crop insurance programs. With this in mind, the USDA RMA Targeted States program in partnership with CTAHR's LIFE program and USDA-FSA are offering workshops statewide for growers to learn about crop insurance, disaster assistance, and risk management. This is a repeat of similar workshops held earlier in 2010 but is intended to give producers a last chance before the sign up deadlines. Again, no sign up means no help. Companion workshops on record keeping are also being offered.

Attached are fliers of the workshops (Molokai events are being arranged). Please help our growers by getting the word out -- better to hear about it more than once, than not be eligible for assistance.

Please contact me if you have questions or for more information. Mahalo.

--Stuart
Stuart T. Nakamoto, Ph.D.                                  Phone: (808) 956-8125
Professor and Extension Economist                         Fax:       (808) 956-4883 or 956-4024
   Agricultural Economics and                              Email: [email protected]" target="1">[email protected]
   Marketing of Perishable Products

University of Hawaii at Manoa
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
Dept. of Human Nutrition, Food, and Animal Sciences
Agricultural Sciences Bldg 314B

mailing address:
UH-CTAHR HNFAS
1955 East-West Road, AgSci 314B

Farm Tour Hosts Needed

Gary Strawn — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 08:24:10 GMT

Farm Tour Hosts Needed

Every year the KCC fills a couple buses full of visitors eager to tour some Kona coffee farms. Many of the guests return year after year so we try to visit new and different farms each year. We need a few new farms for this year. Small farms, large farms, fancy farms, simple farms... it's always fun to see the great variety of coffee farms in Kona.

We stop at each farm for about 30 minutes. The owner usually shows off some unique aspects of their farm and maybe sells some of their coffee or offers free samples. Whether you have 10 trees or 10,000 trees, this is a great way to show off all your hard work and maybe gain some new customers.

No farm is too small. The only requirements are: accessible by two small buses and not too far from town. Tours are on November 9th and 12th.

If you might be interested, please contact Gary at [email protected] or 808-324-1725 for more details.