Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Here is the PDF file for the Hawaii Crop Weather (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending September 9, 2007.

current_hi090907.pdf

Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Orchards located in the windward areas of the Big Island were in generally good condition. Adequate soil moisture combined with sunny and warm days provided good conditions for orchard progress. Young plantings in the Pepeekeo and Keaau areas made good progress. Spraying was required to minimize Black Leaf Streak disease incidences. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Leeward and central Oahu fields remained in active harvest with heavy supplies. Heavy irrigation continued as fields remained dry. Orchards on Kauai were in fair to good condition. Spraying for insect infestation was on a regular schedule.

Papayas
Orchards in the lower Puna district of the Big Island made good progress during the week. Sunny days and adequate soil moisture were beneficial. Seedlings sprouted from newly planted fields in Pohoiki. Spraying for disease and weed control was on going. Overall harvesting on Oahu was reduced by fire damaged fields that were in active harvest. In other areas, fruit development and ripening were fair to good. High temperatures slowed crop progress. Mealy bugs were mostly under control while ring spot virus and wild pig damage continued to lower harvesting in some fields. Kauai?s orchards continued to make good to fair progress during the week. Pickings were at moderate levels from several fields in harvest. New fields entering active harvest provided a boost to available supplies.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop was in generally good condition. Medium-sized heads were harvested. Heavy irrigation was maintaining normal crop progress. The Volcano crop was in fair condition as dry conditions and cooler temperatures slowed the progress of non-irrigated plantings. Volcano supplies were for the local markets. Maui?s crop continued to make relatively steady progress. Evening temperatures have been notably cooler in the Kula area. Insect pressure continued range from high to moderate, with most operations being able to manage insect damage. However, some operations have reported a high amount of losses due to insect damage over the past couple of weeks. Overall, the Maui head cabbage crop was in fair condition.

Dry Onion
On Maui, most fields have been planted for the fall harvest and are reportedly doing well. A few additional fields may be planted this month for the late fall/early winter harvest. Overall the dry onion crop was in fair condition.

Sweet Corn
Windward and central Oahu fields continued to make good progress. Sunny and dry weather during the week proved improved growing and field conditions. Areas affected by water use restrictions have resulted in a cutback on planting activities and have experienced decreased yields. Big Island plantings made good progress due to adequate soil moisture and sunny weather. Harvest was active and crop quality was generally good.

Other Crops

Coffee
Coffee harvesting was in progress in the Kona districts of the Big Island. Orchards on Kauai were in good condition with increased harvesting forecast to continue this coming week as fruit ripening was steady. Sunny days and light to moderate winds have kept fields dry allowing for good harvesting. Rains at the upper elevations during the weekend boosted reservoir levels which allowed adequate irrigation for all trees.

Ginger root
The young ginger crop on the Big Island made favorable progress during the week. Sunny weather and adequate soil moisture benefited root development.

Hawaii Crop Weather Weekly Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending* September 2, 2007*.

current_hi090207.pdf

Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Orchards in windward areas of the Big Island were in fair to good condition. Growth in young orchards got a boost from the warm, sunny weather and adequate soil moisture. Banana Bunchy Top virus incidences remained isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Fields in windward areas remained in fair condition. Leeward and central fields remained in active harvest with heavy supplies. Irrigation was heavy. Orchards on Kauai were in fair to good condition. Spraying for insect infestation was on a regular schedule.

Papayas
Orchards in the Puna area of the Big Island were in fair to good condition. Soil moisture was adequate. Mostly sunny skies with scattered showers helped young trees. Papaya Ringspot Virus still plagued many fields, but spray activities were active in other fields and appeared to keep aphid populations in check. Harvesting on Oahu was reduced by fire-damaged fields that were previously in active harvest. In other areas, fruit development and ripening were fair to good with the high temperatures slowing crop progress. Mealy bugs were mostly under control while Ringspot virus and wild pig damage lowered yields in some fields. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Pickings were at moderate levels from several fields with some new fields in active harvest boosting available supplies.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop was in fair to good condition. Light insect damage on outer leaves was noticed. Irrigation helped to keep crop progress normal, but warm conditions affected head quality. The crop in Volcano was in fair to good condition. Maui?s crop continued to make steady progress. Hot growing conditions were proving to be challenging for the crop and producers who have been trying to minimize stress and damage by insects. Overall, insect pressure throughout the growing area continued to increase. However, insect damage varied by location. Most producers are expected to continue their steady plantings with some planning to increase plantings slightly to compensate for slower growth and lower yields in the months ahead.

Dry Onion
Maui?s crop continued to make slow progress. Weather conditions made it difficult for the crop to achieve high yields and good quality. Some operations maintained good yields and relatively good quality, but most fields experienced lower yields mainly due to reduced bulb size. There was a slight improvement in the overall condition of the dry onion crop during the past couple of weeks. Planting for the fall harvest was active.

Sweet Corn
Windward Oahu fields made good progress with the sunny and dry weather during the week. Harvesting was very active with increasing pickings. Restricted water use slowed plantings and production in fields dependent on reservoir sources for irrigation. Central Oahu crops were in fair to good condition with light corn ear worm problems. Corn fields in the windward areas of the Big Island benefited from the recent mixture of rain and the warm sunny conditions. Adequate soil moisture facilitated higher germination rates and improved ear development. Planting and harvest were steady.

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending* August 26, 2007*.

current_hi082607.pdf

Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Orchards in windward areas of the Big Island made good progress. Soil moisture was adequate. Warm sunny conditions provided a boost to growth of both young and established mats. Fields in windward Oahu remained in fair condition maintaining light to moderate harvesting. Leeward and central fields were in active harvest with heavy supplies. Irrigation was being maintained at a heavy rate. On Kauai, orchards were in fair to good condition. Spraying for insect infestation was on a regular schedule.

Papayas
Orchards in the lower areas of the Big Island?s Puna District experienced ideal conditions for crop progress. Light showers mixed with mostly sunny skies and warm temperatures boosted growth of young orchards and kept flowering steady in mature orchards. Overall fruit development was good. On Oahu, fruit development and ripening were fair to good with the warm temperatures slowing crop progress. Mealy bugs were mostly under control while Ring Spot virus and wild pig damage lowered harvesting in some fields. Last week?s wildfire on Oahu?s North Shore caused some orchards to burn as well as damaging some irrigation systems. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Pickings were at moderate levels from several fields with some new fields boosting available supplies. Vegetables

Chinese Cabbage
The Waimea crop on the Big Island was in fair to good condition. Dry conditions in Lalamilo required heavy irrigation for normal crop progress. Disease and insect damage were generally light. Warm temperatures boosted weed populations in any fields.

Head Cabbage
Heavy irrigation was needed for Waimea farms on the Big Island. Spray schedules kept insect pressure down. Overall crop conditions were fair to good condition. The Volcano crop showed improvement due to added soil moisture and sunny skies.

Sweet Corn
Windward Oahu fields made good progress with the sunny and dry weather during the week. Harvesting was very active with increasing pickings. Restricted water use has slowed plantings and production in fields dependent on reservoirs. Central Oahu crops were in fair to good condition with light corn ear worm problems. Showers in eastern sections of Hawaii Island kept soil moisture adequate and improved germination rates. Sunny skies helped boost plant growth and ear development.

Other Crops

Coffee
Big Island orchards in the Puna and Kona Districts generally received adequate rainfall for cherry development and flowering. Ka`u orchards were drier but made fair progress. Kauai orchards were in good condition with harvesting slated to begin this coming week. Sunny days and drying winds have increased irrigation needs. Water supplies were adequate for current irrigation needs. Of growing concern are decreasing reservoir levels while rainfall has been too light to sustain or raise the levels.

The Monthly Hawaii Vegetable Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Monthly* *Hawaii Vegetable* Report.

monveg082207.pdf

Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Drought-like Conditions Along Leeward Sectors

The month of July continued to experience very warm, sunny conditions. Trade winds persisted mostly at moderate levels during the month. The passing of a weak shear line between July 14 and 16 only intensified these trades. The trade winds were momentarily interrupted with the passing of Tropical Depression Cosme on July 20 and 21. These trade winds provided near to above normal rainfall totals to many windward sectors of the State. Tropical Depression Cosme, on the other hand, provided increased precipitation to the east and southeastern sectors of the Big Island. In general, leeward sectors of all islands continued dry and under drought conditions. This ongoing dry spell along leeward areas has resulted in mandatory water restrictions for agricultural or residential areas of the Waimanalo area of Oahu, upcountry of Maui, and the Hamakua and South Kohala districts of the Big Island. Although some crops have benefited from the hot, dry weather during July, many other crops have suffered; as a result, crop condition was rated only fair.

The expected vegetable acreage for harvest in August when compared with acreage harvested in July was lower for 7 crops, higher for 2 crops, and unchanged for 2 crops. An increase in acreage for harvest is expected from snap beans (+10%) and sweet corn (+61%). A decrease in the acreage for harvest is expected for Chinese cabbage (-8%), head cabbage (-28%), mustard cabbage (-11%), cucumbers (-11%), dry onions (-42%), and romaine (-22%), while the expected acreage for harvest were unchanged for head lettuce, semi-head lettuce.

July Review

Tomato Production Below Year Ago

Chinese cabbage production total 514,000 pounds during July 2007. This was 12 percent below June 2007, but 28 percent above July 2006. The increase in production from a year ago resulted from an increase in yields and acreage for harvest. Crop conditions on the island of Hawaii were mixed as heavy irrigation was necessary to offset the windy, dry, and very warm conditions. Some farmers experienced heat rot losses.

Head cabbage producers produced an estimated 945,000 pounds in July. This was 11 percent and 1 percent below the previous month and a year ago, respectively. The decrease in production was the result of fewer acres available for harvest. Crop yield was below a month earlier, but better than the previous year. When possible, heavy irrigation was necessary to offset the very warm, dry conditions and to keep the crop in fair condition. Insect infestations were becoming a problem in some fields along with the production of smaller and lighter heads.

Cucumbers growers harvested an estimated 438,000 pounds in July. This was 14 percent and 20 percent below June 2007 and July 2006, respectively. The decline in production resulted from lower yields which was the result of the moderate winds and dry conditions.

Tomato growers produced an estimated 1.3 million pounds in July. This was 13 percent and 22 percent below June 2007 and July 2006, respectively. Although the very warm, dry conditions during July helped to maintain the tomato crop in fair to good condition, the decrease in production from the previous month can be attributed to lower yields.

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending* August 12, 2007*.

current_hi081207.pdf

Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas

Soil moisture in eastern areas of the Big Island was adequate but starting to decrease with the low rainfall. Warmer temperatures boosted growth and the crop was in fair to good condition. Banana Bunchy Top virus incidence remained isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Fields in windward Oahu remained in fair condition. Leeward and central fields remained in active harvest with heavy supplies. Heavy irrigation, sunny days, and warm temperatures aided growth. Fields dependent on reservoir water have cut back on irrigation due to water restrictions and conservation efforts. On Kauai, orchards were in fair to good condition. Spraying for insect infestation was on a regular schedule. Controlling the wild pig population, and damage to the crop, was a continuing challenge.

Papayas

Big Island orchards were in fair to good condition. Soil moisture improved slightly due to windward showers. Spray activity was steady in most orchards for insect and weed control. Young orchards were progressing well. Fruit development and ripening were fair to good on Oahu. High temperatures slowed crop progress. Mealy bugs were mostly under control while Ring Spot virus and wild pig damage kept harvesting lower in some fields. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Pickings were at moderate levels from several fields in harvest with some new fields in active harvest.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage

On the Big Island, irrigation ensured steady crop progress. The quality of harvested heads was fair to good. Overall, the crop was in fair to good condition. Maui?s crop has been able to tolerate the hot growing conditions relatively well. Increased irrigation and periodic afternoon cloudiness has helped the crop to maintain steady progress and good quality heads. Planting continued to be steady. Insect pressure was present, but for most fields damage has been kept to a minimum with timely spraying. Overall, the crop was in fair to good condition.

Sweet Corn

Island wide moderate to heavy supplies were forecast to be available for the market place. On Oahu, isolated windward fields experienced some growing problems and lowerthan- expected yields. Restricted water use slowed plantings in fields dependent on reservoir sources for irrigation. Other fields with bird and wild pig damage also suffered lowerthan- normal yields. Central Oahu crops were in fair to good condition with some corn ear worm pressure. Plantings in the windward area of the Big Island made good progress. Light showers kept soil moisture adequate, and the crop was in fair to good condition. Young plantings made steady progress.

Cucumbers

Overall pickings from Oahu were expected to increase to heavy levels as new fields come into active harvest. Pressure from insect infestation was at moderate levels.

Dry Onions

The crop on Maui continued to make slow but steady progress. Insect pressure remained relatively low and growers were been able control the effect of the feeding by insects in the field. Most fields have been affected by the hot temperatures, and this seems to limit bulb size. Some recently harvested fields had aboveaverage yields mainly due to larger bulb size. Overall, the crop was in fair condition.

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *August 5, 2007*

current_hi080507.pdf

Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Orchard
s in windward areas of the Big Island were in fair to good condition. Operations remained normal, and harvesting was active. Soil moisture was raised to beneficial levels. The Banana Bunchy Top virus remained isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Windward fields remained in fair condition maintaining light to moderate harvesting. Leeward and central Oahu fields were in active harvest with heavy supplies due to the seasonal trend. Irrigation remained at heavy levels during the week because of the dry weather. Fields dependent on reservoir water for irrigation have cutback because of water restrictions and conservation efforts. Kauai?s orchards were in fair to good condition. Spraying for insect infestation was on a regular schedule.

Papayas
Orchard
s in the Puna area of the Big Island were in fair to good condition. Soil moisture was adequate. Overcast conditions with sunny periods were helping to establish young trees. Young orchards in the lower Puna area made good progress. On Oahu, fruit development and ripening were fair to good. Crop progress was slowed by high temperatures. Mealy bugs were mostly under control. The Ring Spot virus and wild pig damage kept harvesting lower levels in some fields. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage
Hawaii Count
y?s Waimea crop was in fair to good condition. Light insect damage on outer leaves was noticed. Irrigation helped to keep crop progress about normal, but warm conditions have slowed the crop a little. The crop in Volcano was in fair to good condition. Maui?s crop continued to make steady progress. Insect pressure in general was low to moderate and producers have continued to minimize damage. Wildlife feeding, mainly by birds, was still being noted along the edges of fields. Overall, the head cabbage crop was in fair condition.

Sweet Corn
Fields on
the Big Island benefited from recent trade wind weather. Moderate rainfall improved soil moisture and benefited ear development. Planting and harvest activities were steady. Harvesting was active on Oahu. Isolated windward fields experienced some growing problems and lower than expected yields. Central Oahu crops were in good condition.

Cucumbers
Overall h
arvesting from most Oahu fields is expected to increase to heavy levels as new fields enter production. Pressure from insect infestation was at moderate levels.

Dry Onions
The crop on
Maui continued to struggle through the hot growing conditions. Smaller average bulb size has affected the overall yield, although some fields have produced fairly good size bulbs. Overall, the dry onion crop was progressing as expected for this time of the year. The dry onion crop was currently in marginally fair to fair condition.

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *July 29, 2007*

current_hi072907.pdf

Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Vegetables

Head Cabbage

Active harvest is in progress in the Waimea fields. Head sizes ranged from medium to small in the Waimea area of the Big Island. Heavy irrigation maintained normal crop progress. Insect damage was generally light. The Volcano crop was in fair condition. Weather conditions have not been favorable for optimum growth. Maui?s crop continued to show slow but steady progress under hot growing conditions. Producers increased irrigation for their fields, but overall the crop appears to be tolerating the heat well. Insect pressure for the most part has been low to moderate throughout the major growing area with only a few reports of slightly increased pressure being noted. Damage was under control. Losses to the crop were mainly due wildlife feeding as the dry surrounding areas have not been sufficient to support the natural wildlife in the area. Birds, deer, and some domestic animals have entered fields in search of food and water. Plantings have continued, and production is expected to be steady at current levels. Some fields were abandoned on Oahu to control the increasing pressure from the Diamondback moth infestation.

Dry Onions

Maui?s crop continued to show steady progress even though the hot growing conditions have been very challenging for the crop. Average yields were hovering at lower levels for most fields mainly due to smaller bulb size. There have also been increased reports of losses due to wildlife feeding and damage in the fields. Some of these fields will be abandoned. The onion crop was in generally fair to marginally fair condition.

Tomatoes

Young vines in the Big Island?s Waimea area made good progress. The crop was in generally good condition. Vines in Glenwood and Kona greenhouses were in fair to good condition. Young vines had good fruit set.

Other Crops

Coffee

Field in the Kona Districts of the Big Island benefited from convective showers. Orchards on Kauai were in good condition as the berries size up with heavy irrigation applications. Reservoirs were replenished with rains at the upper elevations and water resources are expected to be at adequate levels to bring the crop to harvest. Insect pressure was low.

Ginger Root

Young ginger crop continued to make good progress due to the favorable weather conditions in eastern sections of the County of Hawaii. Sunny and warm weather throughout most of the week and adequate soil moisture benefited root development.

Hawaii Weekly Crop Weather Report

Here is the PDF file for the *Hawaii Crop Weather* (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending *July 15, 2007*

current_hi071607.pdf

Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas

Orchards in eastern sections of the Big Island were in generally good condition. Warm days and adequate soil moisture benefited crop and fruit development. Field activities such as spraying, removal of leaves and lateral suckers were active. Black Leaf Streak disease incidences were observed in some fields. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Windward fields remained in fair condition. A seasonal upswing kept leeward and central fields in active harvest. Irrigation levels were heavy. Orchards on Kauai were in good to fair condition. The dry weather and controlled irrigation benefited most orchards.

Papayas

On the Big Island, light showers, warm temperatures, and sunny periods benefited fruit development. Younger fields made good growth in the Kapoho area. Fallowed fields in the Opihikao area were being prepared for new plantings. Field operations such as spraying for weeds and disease control, leaf trimming, harvesting were active during the week. Flowering and fruit set were generally good. On Oahu, fruit development and ripening were good due to increased day length and sunny conditions. Mealy bugs were mostly under control while Ring Spot virus lowered production in some fields. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress. Spraying to contain insect populations was stepped up during calm weather to contain the increased infestations.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage

In the Big Island?s Lalamilo area, warm temperatures were not favorable for good head development. Warm days combined with irrigation contributed to an increase in disease incidence. New plantings made steady progress with heavy irrigation. Maui?s crop made steady progress despite the hot growing conditions. Increased irrigation was necessary and so far producers have made efficient use of water. Some fields were showing signs of increased stress especially those in the lower elevation areas. Insect pressure has increased slightly, but so far damage has continued to be minimal due to close monitoring and timely spraying by farmers. There have been reports of some losses due to wildlife feeding. Some fields on Oahu were abandoned to control the increasing pressure from the Diamondback moth infestation.

Dry Onions

Maui?s onion crop continued to make fair progress. Warm growing conditions were taking a toll on the crop. Older fields were struggling to develop good bulb size. In some fields, the heat stress has caused the plant to stop growing. Increased irrigation was helpful for some younger fields, but older fields have many factors to consider.

Sweet Corn

Weather conditions in windward sections of the Big Island were generally good for crop progress. On Oahu, harvesting was light after the holiday in July. However, supplies were heavy and new fields coming into production were making good progress. Light worm damage occurred during the week. Isolated fields in windward areas experienced growing problems and lower yields are anticipated from those fields.

The poison in Molokai soil

Molokai Times
By Alexandra Charles
7/12/2007 1:51:39 PM

Heptachlor, a toxic pesticide banned in the U.S. in 1988 and classified as a probable carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency, is likely to cause ill effects to human health if exposure to the chemical is in high doses and over a long period of time.

Studies of the pesticides’ effects have been limited to laboratory rodents. When fed high levels of heptachlor over a long period of time, the animals developed liver cancer. Several experts say it is reasonable to assume similar effects will occur in humans who are exposed to a high dose of heptachlor by drinking water or milk, inhaling air, or touching soil contaminated by the chemical.

“Pesticides by their nature are dangerous,” explained farmer Larry Jefts. “They are created to kill stuff or stop its growth.”

He added, “They may not be dangerous to you and me but they may be to some weeds and bugs. We want to be really careful, to follow rules, and to rely on science and not science fiction (when using pesticides on agricultural land).”

Research confirms pineapple companies contaminated the soil when using heptachlor to kill pests on crops. Of major concern is what impact such a regular agricultural practice in Hawaii during the late 1950s and early 1980s has on people today.

A problem arises from land use changes because when new residences are built on agricultural land that was contaminated by pesticides, homeowners are not told about the potential harmful impact to their health.

For instance, after the Hawaiian Homes Act was established in 1920, the federal government put 200,000 acres of Hawaiian land aside for homesteading by Hawaiians with 50 percent or more native blood. In Hoolehua, agricultural lots were established. It is unlikely that homesteaders were informed about what was put into the soil when the land was part of pineapple plantations.

Residents have a variety of suspicions and concerns regarding pesticides like heptachlor. One resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, said the number of infant gravesite markers in the north side of the Maunaloa cemetery took him aback. He pointed out that Maunaloa was once a pineapple town and said it was chilling for him to see how many children did not live more than a few days. Currently, it is difficult to uncover the cause of death for those buried in the cemetery.

The heptachlor-milk connection . . .

Click to Read Complete Article

Copyright 2007 Molokai Times