Washington wants RP to allow entry of US vegetables – GMA News and Public Affairs

Published on August 31, 2009 in Banana, General Ag News and Notes and Vegtables.

This is a terrible time to start importing foreign bananas due to the proposed layoffs of agricultural inspectors. The domestic crop could easily be devastated by invasive pests including banana rasp snail, red palm mite, two-spotted mite, banana root borer, banana aphid and the mealybug.

Bannana Crop could be ruined?
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Manila may agree to Washington’s proposal to allow the entry of cold climate vegetables in exchange for the export of Philippine bananas in the US.

Agriculture officials said this may be the only way to secure the approval of the US Department of Agriculture for the Philippines’ formal request to penetrate the lucrative US market for fresh bananas.

“They are asking us if they can export temperate vegetables to the Philippines. We haven’t responded yet, but the arguments will always lead to a counter-trade arrangement," said Bureau of Plant Industry director Joel Rudinas.

The US government, Rudinas said, has expressed its interest to export temperate vegetables such as broccoli and asparagus.

He said the Philippines must submit its position on the findings of the import risk assessment (IRA) conducted by the US government on Philippine bananas as a protocol in the processing of requests for fruit exports.

In its IRA last month, the USDA said Philippine bananas may be allowed entry into the US market if mitigating measures be undertaken to address the issue of the danger of potential pests.

An IRA reviews existing quarantine policy on the import of animals, plants and their products, identifies and classifies potential quarantine risks and develop policies to manage them.

Continue reading ‘Washington wants RP to allow entry of US vegetables – GMA News and Public Affairs’

The People’s Dialectic – Development and Local Awareness

Published on August 31, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes.

August 30th, 2009 by peoplesdialectic

I’ve always been impressed with the quality of events Kanu Hawaii puts on to help the community and raise awareness about important issues.

The Eat Local Challenge is no exception. In fact, it strikes at the heart of possibly one of the most immediate and important questions for our islands. Eating local is beneficial on both an economic and environmental level. And the light the Challenge shines on food channels couldn’t have come at a more crucial time.

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin featured on Wednesday, August 12, an article discussing plans to develop 1,500 acres of some of ‘the best ag land’ on Oahu for a 12,000 home community. The loss of this prime agricultural land to tract housing, shopping centers, and business parks will be a significant loss of our ability to grow food for ourselves.

There was a day when the economy of our islands didn’t depend on visitors from around the world. While no one suggests we return to the plantation culture, we do need to diversify our economy away from tourism. With a revenue stream that is so fundamentally tied to the vacation plans of people around the world, Hawaii is particularly vulnerable to economic hard times and recessions. We can no longer afford to depend so heavily on the disposable income of others. Hawaii must once again become self-sufficient.

Continue reading ‘The People’s Dialectic – Development and Local Awareness’

Inspector layoffs may mean near ‘shutdown’ of imports – The Maui News

Published on August 30, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes.

Positions targeted to balance state budget

By ILIMA LOOMIS, Staff Writer
POSTED: August 30, 2009

PUKALANI – Plant quarantine officials said last week that laying off more than half the state’s agricultural inspectors would create such a logjam at Hawaii ports that it could cause shortages similar to those seen during shipping strikes.

Carol Okada, manager of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture’s Plant Quarantine Branch, said she has not been able to develop a plan for how her department will continue its core functions after it loses 52 employees, 50 of them inspectors, to layoffs planned for November.

She said food shipments to Maui and the other Neighbor Islands, which because of staff shortages would now have to be routed through Honolulu for inspection, would have to sit on the docks until the state’s remaining inspectors could look at them, with the risk that some food could spoil in the unchilled containers.

Continue reading ‘Inspector layoffs may mean near ‘shutdown’ of imports – The Maui News’

Hawaii growers urged to clean up exports-The Honolulu Advertiser

Published on August 28, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes.

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
Hawai’i's $125 million agricultural export industry could be threatened by hitchhiking insects and other pests found on fresh flower, foliage and fruit shipments arriving in California.

Budget cuts have left California with fewer inspectors and made that state more prone to slap sanctions on importers when pests are discovered. Hawai’i may also lose inspectors if the state lays off workers in November as planned to balance its budget.

Five key agricultural officials sent a warning letter this month to hundreds of Hawai’i growers and shippers who sell flowers, foliage, herbs, vegetables, potted nursery products and fruit, alerting them to the potential risk of not cleaning up their shipments.

"Anyone that currently ships to California can be the ‘last straw’ that triggers the decision by California to impose severe restrictions on the movement of all products from Hawai’i into the California market," the letter states.

Continue reading ‘Hawaii growers urged to clean up exports-The Honolulu Advertiser’

BusinessWorld Online: Banana exports to US seen by next year

Published on August 27, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes.

BY NEIL JEROME C. MORALES, Reporter

Banana exports to US seen by next year

LOCAL [Philippine RP] BANANA producers will likely be able to export fresh bananas to the United States starting next year, an Agriculture official said yesterday.

"I am optimistic that the process in exporting [bananas] would be fast because the banana industry is organized," Joel S. Rudinas, director of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), told reporters.

"Right now we are in the comment period [proposing procedures to the US Department of Agriculture, or USDA]…until maybe end of August or September," he said, adding that the US banana market is worth over $100 million.

Manila asked Washington in December 2005 to allow fresh banana exports to the US mainland, and followed this request with another in September 2007 to export the same commodity to Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands.

The USDA gave Manila preliminary approval last July to export fresh bananas to the US mainland, with final approval pending proof by the Philippine government that it has sufficiently quarantined banana pests.

Continue reading ‘BusinessWorld Online: Banana exports to US seen by next year’

RP hopeful of exporting mangoes outside of Guimaras to US in 2010

Published on August 26, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes.

Written by Jennifer A. Ng / Reporter

Wednesday, 26 August 2009 19:25

MANILA is hopeful that it can begin exporting mangoes outside of Guimaras to the mainland United States in 2010 after it completes a survey of mango-producing areas in the Philippines this month.

Continue reading ‘RP hopeful of exporting mangoes outside of Guimaras to US in 2010’

CTAHR dean details impacts of ag. inspectors layoffs | Hawaii247.org

Published on August 20, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes.

CTAHR dean details impacts of ag. inspectors layoffs

Updated at 3:27 am, Thursday, August 20, 2009.

Andrew Hashimoto, dean and director of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, gave the following testimony to the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee about the potential impacts of laying off Department of Agriculture staff.

I am pleased to provide personal testimony relating to the potential impacts on the community and agricultural industry on the Big Island, arising from the anticipated reduction and possible elimination of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture’s Plant Quarantine Branch. This testimony does not represent the position of the University of Hawaii or CTAHR.

Background

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) has 329 “permanent” employees, of which 118 (approximately 36 percent) have received notices for layoff.

The Plant Quarantine (PQ) Branch will be especially hard hit. It has a total of 78 inspectors and 16 technicians (aides).

Of that, 50 inspectors and two technicians (all general funded) have been given notices. The remainder (11 inspectors and 14 technicians) are paid from special funds.

Most of the inspectors to be laid off will be from the neighbor islands. Information on the number of layoffs for each of the other HDOA branches is not known. The impact of the layoff in the PQ branch is discussed.

Continue reading ‘CTAHR dean details impacts of ag. inspectors layoffs | Hawaii247.org’

Animal Quarantine Information – Hawaii Department of Agriculture

Published on August 17, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes.

ADVISORY (August 17, 2009) -

The State of Hawai’i is currently faced with a significant budgetary shortfall. While it is still uncertain how budget cuts may affectservices by the Hawai’i Department of Agriculture, you should be aware that if you are qualifying your pet for direct release at Honolulu International Airport and are currently making travel arrangements, it may be prudent to arrange to arrive in Honolulu during between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. This is especially important if you are planning to take a connecting flight to another island with your pet the same day.

Currently, some employees have received layoff notices. In addition, the possibility of furloughs exists. In the event layoffs or furloughs or both are implemented, it can result in a reduction of the current hours of inspection for airport release. Animals that arrive at the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility after hours of inspection will be held overnight and processed the following morning.

We are providing this advisory as a precaution, because we realize that flight arrangements are usually made far in advance of travel. If the situation changes, we will update this webpage accordingly.

The airport office will continue to accept pets arriving from the airlines at Honolulu International Airport; however, we anticipate that inspection hours may be affected, which will result in delays in processing the inspection and release of pets at the airport.

Animal Quarantine Information — Hawaii Department of Agriculture

KauaiEclectic: Musings: Planning Overhaul

Published on August 16, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes.

And so, it seems, is the reality of the state’s budget crisis, with The Advertiser reporting today that proposed layoffs in the Department of Agriculture could imperil food imports and exports.

On the import side, [Big Island Rep. Clifton] Tsuji said, he’s already heard from a major produce importer who warned that a dramatic slowdown in the time it takes to have items inspected could spell the end of the import of certain types of lettuce or other food products that perish easily. "If they don’t have the inspectors, they might have to cease importing these items," Tsuji said.

It’s a double-edged sword. If some stuff’s not coming in, it could increase demand for locally-grown veggies and so spur production. But if we don’t have enough inspectors, it harms exporters, who are a major force in Hawaii’s diversified ag sector. It also increases the risk of more pest species being introduced, which is a major concern for the native environment, farmers and our overall quality of life.

It raises, once again, the question of whether Hawaii is serious about ensuring that agriculture is part of its future.

That question will be front and center as Kauai goes through the process of identifying its Important Ag Lands. We’re the first county to do such a study, which is mandated by Act 233. Dr. Karl Kim of UH has been awarded the county contract, and he’ll be talking about the process at a meeting set for 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24 at the Kapaa Library.

I was talking to Farmer Jerry the other day, and he said the most important message that needs to be conveyed about the IAL process is “it’s not gonna be the third Mahele for the developers.”

KauaiEclectic: Musings: Planning Overhaul

Big Island legislators to host info briefing on Kulani Correctional Facility

Published on August 13, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes.

Kulani Prison

Media release from www.hawaiisenatemajority.com

The Senate Ad-hoc Committee chaired by Sen. Russell Kokubun is hosting a series of info briefings to address recent proposed changes by the Lingle administration and discuss the potential impact these changes will have on the state.

Gov. Linda Lingle last week announced her plans to layoff approximately 80 percent of Department of Agriculture personnel in an effort to help close a budget deficit.

Many Big Island lawmakers and residents are concerned about the devastating effect this will have on the local agriculture industry.

The announcement followed a news conference Lingle held the week prior during which she announced plans to cut staff and close Kulani Correctional Facility.

In addition to the Big Island meetings, more are scheduled early next week on the island of Oahu.

* Hilo: 5-8 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 13 at Aupuni Center – County Conference Room

* Kona: 5-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, Kealakehe High School Cafeteria

For more information, contact Senator Kokubun’s office at (808) 586-6760.Big Island legislators to host info briefing

Big Island legislators to host info briefing on Kulani Correctional Facility | Hawaii247.org

TheGardenIsland.com > Business > Kauai Business > Path to sustainability

Published on August 9, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes and Sustainability.

Hanalei Click for Larger Image

Kaua‘i now imports approximately 90% of its daily food. This situation renders us vulnerable to interruptions in shipping, rising fuel costs and an increasing scarcity of certain foods in the face of rising world population. Some experts claim that the demand for food has already exceeded the supply. These conditions invite predictions of serious food shortages for our island at the same time that profits from our food expenditures are going to off-island suppliers rather than strengthening our local economy.

On the average the entire State only produces somewhere between 4.4 to 5.8 percent of our food supply. Specialists at the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agricultural have pointed out that if we doubled our production of local food we would be avoiding $120 million in imports and creating more than 3,000 jobs. Farm related business income would increase, they predict, by about $64 million, and of course, other economic benefits would occur. Similar estimates regarding the benefits of increasing local food production have been suggested by Governor Lingle and also by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

TheGardenIsland.com > Business > Kauai Business > Path to sustainability

BusinessWorld Online: RP gets provisional approval to export fresh bananas to US mainland

Published on August 7, 2009 in Banana and General Ag News and Notes.

BY NEIL JEROME C. MORALES, Reporter

RP gets provisional approval to export fresh bananas to US mainland

Local banana farmers get ready for banana rasp snail, red palm Mite, two-spotted mite, banana root borer and the banana aphid. Click for larger image.
Washington D.C. has given Manila preliminary approval to export fresh banana pending measures for Manila to address the quarantine of banana pests, the Philippines’ Agriculture department said in a press release on Friday.

"The [United States’ Department of Agriculture, or USDA] move brings us one step closer to our goal of providing our local banana growers the opportunity to penetrate the lucrative US mainland market," the statement quoted Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap as saying.

Last month, the USDA sent to the local Agriculture department its risk assessment report on Philippine fresh banana.

Mr. Yap, who accompanied President Gloria M. Arroyo in a week-long working visit that ended August 5, said this development highlights the government’s target of increasing farm output and farmers’ incomes by expanding and exploring markets for the agriculture produce.

The report said the US allowed the entry of fresh banana to the US continental mainland, including Alaska, if mitigating measures are put in place to address 14 quarantined pests the USDA identified.

Some of the identified pests may not be present in the Philippines or does not attack hard green banana, the Agriculture department’s Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) said in a report to the USDA.

Pests identified by the USDA include the banana rasp snail, red palm Mite, two-spotted mite, banana root borer, banana aphid and the mealybug.

The USDA will develop the risk management measures, using its risk assessment report in consultation with the BPI.

Manila asked Washington in December 2005 to allow fresh banana exports to the US mainland, as well as to Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands in September 2007, BPI Director Joel S. Rudinas said in the statement.

BusinessWorld Online: RP gets provisional approval to export fresh bananas to US mainland

Law aims to help Hawaii use its own produce | The Packer

Published on August 6, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes.

Courtesy Hawaii House Blog Specialty tomatoes from Hamakua Springs County Farm, Big Island.
A new pilot program in Hawaii should help another 100 or so of the state’s local growers get their food into local hotels.

House Bill No. 1471 was passed into law late July and established the Food Certification Pilot program, which will be managed by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, with assistance from the Hawaii Department of Health.

The program is designed to coordinate purchasing agreements between agricultural cooperatives and hotels, restaurants and other buyers in the visitor and hospitality industries, according to the bill. The pilot program should help with that by developing and implementing safe food certification for locally grown produce.

Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed the bill originally, saying the program “appears to be a gesture to improve food safety without the teeth necessary to make it a viable program,” according to West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority Special Fund will allocate $140,000 to establish the program. The idea is that if safe, local food is offered to local hotels and eating establishments, it could help Hawaii tourism.

Lingle argued there was no real connection to tourism. Her veto was overridden by the Legislature late July.

According to the West Hawaii Today article, only 32 of the state’s 2,000 farms are food safety certified by third-party audit. Supporters of the pilot program from the hotel and restaurant industry in Hawaii said food safety was a major concern for them, and that if good agricultural practices were followed and assured to buyers, it could make a big difference.

Law aims to help Hawaii use its own produce | The Packer

Safeway recalls ground beef sold in nine states – MarketWatch

Published on August 6, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes.

Eat me and you'll blow chunks!
By Jim Jelter, MarketWatch

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Safeway Inc. announced Thursday a major, nine-state recall of salmonella-tainted ground beef sold between June 6 and July 14.

Safeway (SWY) , the giant grocery store chain based in Pleasanton, Calif., said the recall involved 825,769 pounds, or nearly 43 tons, of meat that the company said "may be linked to an outbreak of Salmonellosis."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the meat was processed at a Beef Packers Inc. meat-packing plant in Fresno, Calif., and sold in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Beef Packers is a subsidiary of privately-held Cargill, one of the world’s biggest food producers and marketers, with sales last year of $120 billion.

Safeway recalls ground beef sold in nine states – MarketWatch

Howzit Howard

Published on August 5, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes.

November 13th… birthday of Robert Louis Stevenson… anniversary of the dedication of the Vietnam War Memorial… and the day 1,100 Hawaii state employees are set to lose their jobs. But despite a specific date, this situation is still fluid.

…

If there is any kind of cutback at all, whether outright layoffs or just furloughs, I predict you will see noticeable disruption of state services even if all affected state workers suck it up and try to provide as much service as before.

For example, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture has more than 120 people slated for layoff including about 70 from the plant industry division, I am told, which will disrupt plant inspections and either disrupt imports or allow imports without inspections.

Howzit Howard

Hawaii agriculture and farming grants : Hawaii Business Grants

Published on January 17, 2009 in Agriculture Grants and General Ag News and Notes.

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Small business grants in Hawaii are somewhat tough to come by just like everywhere else. However, there are eleven federal government agencies that do have grant funding for small businesses depending on what you are trying to accomplish with your business. These eleven federal government agencies reserve some grant money and they have research and development topics that will accept proposals. Small business owners or people looking to start a small business in Hawaii may want to look in these areas for grant funding. In this article I am going to list a couple of these agencies and give a brief overview of what they deal with so that you can see if it would apply to your small business in Hawaii.
The Department of Agriculture in Hawaii has current concerns that Hawaii is currently importing about eighty-five percent of the food that is consumed in Hawaii. They would like to increase the self sufficiency of Hawaii. If you were looking at starting a farm that would assist in this concern it may assist you in receiving a grant. Under the department of Agriculture you will also find information you can find grants for rural development. The Small Business Innovation Research Program grant is another possibility for one that wants a small business grant in Hawaii that will be dealing with various science based business.

Continue reading ‘Hawaii agriculture and farming grants : Hawaii Business Grants’