Author: bigwave

November 2, 2020 4-H, FFA, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

4-H contest gets keiki excited about agriculture

University of Hawaii News –

For eight years and running, the Hawaiʻi County 4-H program, part of the Cooperative Extension Service housed in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), has found a special way to bring out big smiles from its smallest members: a contest of giant fruits and vegetables.

Becky Settlage, Hawaiʻi County 4-H agent and state coordinator for the Hawaiʻi Junior Master Gardener Program, was looking for a unique and fun way to get youth excited about agriculture. Her goal was for keiki to appreciate and love the outdoors, and learn to be self-sustainable.

With the “stay at home” situation this year, the contest started earlier than normal as a way for keiki to do something while stuck at home.

This year’s entries exceeded 2019 by 236%, and several state records were added. A total of 75 entries ranging from tomatoes, giant pumpkins, watermelons, bushel gourds, long gourds and sunflowers, were weighed and measured through the end of October.

“Little do these children realize that, besides having fun trying to grow a giant pumpkin, giant watermelon, giant tomato or giant sunflower, we’re also secretly teaching them a love of science, and skills such as problem solving, responsibility, teamwork, recordkeeping, and of course, getting outside and being active in a safe way,” Settlage said.

Wendi Sasaki, a parent participant who has entered the contest the last two years, said “The opportunity to grow ‘giants’ with my children is a blessing. We were able to spend quality time together, learning and ʻgrowing.’”

The winners were presented their award during a virtual ceremony on Saturday, October 31.

Visit the Hawaiʻi County 4H program’s Facebook page to see a complete list of the winners and photos.

November 2, 2020 Employment/Jobs, General Ag News and Notes, Hawaii Agricultural Employment, Hawaii Agriculture Jobs Post a Comment

USAJOBS Daily Search Results for Agriculture jobs in Hawaii for 11/2/2020

Student Trainee (Biological Science)
Department: Department of Agriculture
Agency: Departmental Administration
Number of Job Opportunities & Location(s): Many vacancies – Multiple Locations
Salary: $21,902.40 to $48,318.40 / PH
Series and Grade: GS-0499-2/7
Open Period: 2020-11-02 to 2020-11-16
Position Information: Internships – Multiple Schedules
Who May Apply: Students

November 2, 2020 General Ag News and Notes, Jones Act, Shipping Post a Comment

US election: how has Donald Trump impacted the maritime industry?

Ship Technology
by Adele Berti

The US is currently bracing for one of the most divisive presidential elections in its history, with Donald Trump and Joe Biden preparing to hit the polls on Tuesday.

As the pair approach the end of their race to the White House, maritime stakeholders have a tough decision to make ahead of them. The sector has seen a dramatic drop in traffic and economic activity since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and is in dire need of financial support and reforms.

According to Cozen O’Connor attorney Jeff Vogel, President Trump has implemented a “mixed bag” of positive and negative initiatives for US maritime since 2016, supporting development in some areas while significantly limiting others.

A Washington-based law firm specialised in maritime matters, the Cozen O’Connor Maritime practice group has been closely following the Trump administration’s work on the industry for the past four years. With just a few days left until the voting closes, Vogel comments on President Trump’s contributions to the sector during his current mandate.

Driving change in port development and shipbuilding

Under the work of Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, many US ports have benefitted from increased funding, courtesy of initiatives such as the Port Infrastructure Development Program. Established earlier this year, the scheme aims to support improvements to port facilities and freight infrastructure with grants rolled out in February and October 2020.

Recipients of the grants include some of the most high-profile hubs in the country, such as Anchorage in Alaska, Los Angeles in California and Cape Canaveral in Florida. “This infrastructure investment hasn’t been in the trillions of dollars as was indicated during [Trump’s] 2016 campaign but this has been a very successful programme by Secretary Chao,” comments Vogel.

Beyond port development, another area that saw increased funding during the current administration is the shipbuilding sector. Specifically, Vogel says, President Trump authorised funding of the National Security Multi Mission Vessels, a set of training vessels that will be used by state maritime academies and then can be deployed in humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations.

“That total contract has been awarded to Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia and is in the range of about $1.5bn,” he explains. “This represents significant investment in terms of the commercial side investment in shipbuilding.”

International profile: the heavy toll of the China trade war

From an international point of view, nothing has raised more eyebrows than the ongoing trade war between the US and China. The most significant trade-restricting measure in the world, this protectionist policy has been in place since March 2018 and looks likely to remain in place were Trump to succeed on Tuesday.

“[Recent terrorist attacks] have had an impact on the industry and we’ve certainly seen that in a number of sailing cancellations in the Pacific trade,” comments Vogel. “That has impacted both US-flagged and non-US flagged operations as China was a significant trade partner of the US. These tariffs, the chilling effect of ongoing negotiations and the continuing standoff between the White House and China have certainly impacted trade in the Pacific.”

Adding to these tensions is a recent fall-off in US-flagged preference cargoes. Under the Cargo Preference Act of 1954, about 50% of Civilian Agencies cargo and Agricultural Cargo needs to be carried on US-flagged vessels.

However, Vogel explains that a recent drop in the available cargo is having a negative ripple effect on the programmes that depend on it, such as the Food for Peace scheme. “This is where agencies like the US Agency for International Development purchase food commodities from US farmers and ship them overseas in support of humanitarian aid disaster relief operations,” he adds. “Those programmes are reviewed each year, and over time they have been zeroed out in the President’s programme.”

Despite recent attempts to restore funding for the programmes, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has diverted the focus away from them, putting more emphasis on national development projects.

The Jones Act and its role within offshore wind development

Having just marked 100 years since its establishment, the Jones Act is one of the most controversial laws in US maritime, one that the Trump administration has so far failed to take a stance on.

A section of the 1920 Merchant Marine Act, the Jones Act is one of the world’s strictest cabotage laws at it only allows US-flagged and built ships to move goods between national ports. It also states that vessels must be registered in the US with 75% of crew formed by US citizens.

“What we saw early on in the administration was mixed messages, though mainly leaning towards not supporting the Jones Act,” says Vogel. “There was a long period of conversations about providing a full waiver of the Jones Act for trade between the continental US and Puerto Rico, [as well as] waivers for liquefied natural gas (LNG) going into New England.”

But under pressures from industry stakeholders, these waivers never eventually came to fruition. “The net result is that there were a few limited waivers that were granted as responses to hurricanes that hit the US, [consistently] with what we’ve seen in past administrations,” he adds.

Despite failing to drive change in this field, the Trump administration still managed to indirectly affect some of the areas the Jones Act focuses on, such as offshore wind development.

“There are a number of questions regarding the application of the Jones Act to offshore wind development,” says Vogel. “The administration has not taken any steps to clarify those issues.”

However, this has not stopped companies like Danish power supplier Ørsted from continuing their wind development projects. “Things have not gone as quickly as stakeholders would have liked in large part because it’s not a policy priority of the current administration,” Vogel explains.

Reducing carbon emissions in maritime

The past few years have seen increasing pressures on the global maritime industry to reduce its carbon emissions, driven primarily by the International Maritime Organization. According to Vogel, this is an area where the US has achieved progress despite President Trump’s much-debated decision to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement.

“[Withdrawing from] the Paris Accord speaks for itself as to the administration’s priorities for emission control but, notwithstanding that sort of policy change, a number of Jones Act operators have already made significant investments into cleaner forms of propulsion for their vessels,” he comments. “Operators such as Tote Maritime and Crowley Maritime that are operating in the Jacksonville to Puerto Rico trade route have made significant investments in dual-fuel vessels over the past seven/eight years.”

Many shipowners and operators are also investing in increasing their capacity for LNG-powered vessels running between Florida and Puerto Rico through private funding.

“Another area that we’ve seen move forward – despite not being a White House priority – is the control of invasive species through ballast control systems,” he concludes. These initiatives started before the current administration, though their successes have convinced the US Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency to approve new systems that are currently being implemented to reduce the environmental impact of ballast water discharge.

November 1, 2020 Gardening, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Poinsettias for holiday color

West Hawaii Today
By Norman Bezona –

The holiday season usually begins with Halloween and extends to Easter, but this year’s COVID-19 pandemic means we need to be careful of gatherings like Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Perhaps a safer endeavor would be to focus on our gardens!

Although it finally feels like fall, and we have been seeing Christmas decorations in some stores even before Halloween, the Christmas Holidays don’t seem real until we get our Thanksgiving meal digested. Thanksgiving is less than four weeks away, but the weather has been weird. This year was particularly confusing since we have record warm temperatures and the poinsettias are beginning to bloom.

Poinsettias especially in Kona, Kau and Kohala will soon be in spectacular color. Although mainland folks think of the poinsettia as a Christmas flower, for us it blooms from November through March. So if you don’t have a showy supply garden, it will soon be time to see them on the market.

Purchasing potted stock from a garden center or nursery is the easiest way to establish plantings of the holiday ornamental. However, some green thumb operators scavenge the neighborhood for hardwood cuttings when fellow gardeners prune their poinsettias following the flowering season. Getting plants this way can make you feel like a turkey if you choose cuttings from disease infected plants. If you get healthy plants, you can be sure to avoid “fowl” play.

There are a number of poinsettias available. They come in traditional reds or you can enjoy color combinations indoors and in the garden if you mingle the red plantings with white and pink varieties. Since poinsettias give color from now through March, incorporating plants into the garden design will brighten things up for more than just the holiday season.

Poinsettias will grow on a wide range of soils, including sand, rocky soil and clay. In spite of the wide adaptability, the plants will present you a better show of color if you take proper care of them.

In massed beds, fertilizer application is important. An application of fertilizer in August should now be producing large colorful bracts. The plants need repeat applications of plant food in early spring, again in June and perhaps during mid-summer if there are heavy rains.

For best results, prune poinsettias back in late winter or early spring after blooming is over. Cut them back to within 12 to 18 inches of the ground.

You’ll find that a compact plant will furnish more color than a plant with few unbranched stalks. To promote a riot of colored bracts, prune the plants several times during the growing season. Nip the new growth back after it is 12 inches long, leaving four leaves on each shoot. Be sure to stop the pruning in early September, because the flowering buds are set in early October.

Poinsettias show their color according to the day length and temperature. A plant near a lighted window or a street light often refuses to flower like a neighboring plant in a nearby darker corner. Dreary skies in September and early October will shorten the days causing plants to set buds and flower before the holiday season.

You will find that temperature is a limiting factor for a good show of flowers. If the night temperatures are much above 70 degrees, bud formation will be retarded. Freak periods of hot weather during this critical time may not permit buds to form at all. The best flower development is when the night temperatures range from 60 to 68 degrees.

For plants in your garden, one problem to watch for now are mites. Dryer conditions are ideal for this pest. Spraying with a miticide will take care of the little stinkers. If you want to avoid sprays, sprinkling the leaves daily with the garden hose is helpful. This will also minimize whitefly attacks. Avoid sprinkling in the heat of the day or in early evening.

Poinsettias may be used as cut flowers if the stems are treated to coagulate the milky sap and reduce wilting. As soon as the flowers are cut, immerse the cut ends in hot water for about a minute. Then place them in cold water. Be sure that the steaming water does not damage the bracts.

An alternate method of halting the oozing sap is to singe the cut ends of the stem over a flame for a couple of seconds and then place the stems in cold water. For best results and longer lasting beauty, cut the poinsettias about 18 hours before they are to be used in an arrangement. Store the cut “flowers” in a cool, draft-free place during the waiting stage.

If you want to experiment with this year’s potted plant, don’t toss it out when the last leaf drops. The plant will show brilliant color next Christmas season if you follow these tips. First, store the pot, plant and all, in an out of the way place. This treatment is intended to force the plant to hibernate during the cool days while the shriveling top feeds the sleeping roots.

Only water the plant to keep it from getting bone dry. Avoid giving it fertilizer. Try storing the sleeping plant in the shady corner of the carport.

October 30, 2020 General Ag News and Notes, Turkey Post a Comment

For the turkey industry, this Thanksgiving is a guessing game.

Hawaii News Now
AP –

Millions of Americans are expected to have scaled-down celebrations amid the pandemic, heeding official warnings against travel and large indoor gatherings. That leaves anxious turkey farmers and grocers scrambling to predict what people will want on their holiday tables.

Kroger — the nation’s largest grocery chain — said its research shows 43% of shoppers plan to celebrate Thanksgiving only with those in their immediate household. It has purchased more turkeys than usual — in all sizes — but it’s also predicting an increase in demand for alternatives, including ham, pork roast and seafood. Kroger also expects to see more demand for plant-based meats, like a vegan roast stuffed with mushrooms and squash.

Walmart says it will still carry plenty of whole turkeys, but it will also have 30% more turkey breasts in its stores to accommodate shoppers who don’t want to cook a whole bird.

It’s not always easy to pivot. Angela Wilson, the owner of Avedano’s Holly Park Market in San Francisco, ordered turkeys last year for this Thanksgiving. She can’t cancel the order, so they’re still coming in.

But Wilson said this Thanksgiving might be busier than in the past, since customers who usually go out of town will be staying home. She’s also stocking up on smaller birds like quail and game hen.

Some farmers are making tweaks based on what they think customers will be looking for. Dede Boies raises heritage breed turkeys at Root Down Farm in Pescadero, California. The turkeys she sells for Thanksgiving were born in May, so she has spent months thinking about how the coronavirus might impact the holidays.

Boies decided to harvest some turkeys early this year. It’s a gamble, because the birds gain a lot of fat and flavor in their final few weeks, but she figures customers will want smaller birds. She’s also offering more chickens and ducks.

“We’ve invested so much time and energy and love into these birds, and the whole point is that they go and they are celebrated with people for these great meals. We’re just really hoping that still happens,” Boies said.

Butterball — which typically sells 30% of America’s 40 million Thanksgiving turkeys — said it’s expecting more gatherings, but it’s not convinced people will want smaller turkeys. Its research shows that 75% of consumers plan to serve the same size turkey or a larger turkey than they did last year.

Butterball says about half its turkeys will be in the 10-16 lb. range and half will be in the 16-24 lb. range, the same as usual. Anyone looking for a specific size should plan to shop early, said Rebecca Welch, senior brand manager for seasonal at Butterball.

“Don’t be afraid to go big,” she said. “It’s just as easy to cook a large turkey as it is a smaller one, and it means more leftovers.”

Nancy Johnson Horn of Queens, New York, usually shares a big turkey with her in-laws, her parents and her own family of five. But Horn, who writes The Mama Maven blog, said that gathering won’t happen this year because her kids are attending school in-person and she is worried about spreading the virus.

“As much as it hurts me, I will have to cook myself this year,” she said. She’s not sure what will be on the menu. She’s only cooked a whole turkey once in her life and she’s never made mashed potatoes.

This Thanksgiving comes at an already tenuous time for the $4.3 billion U.S. turkey industry. Thanks to better technology for carving breast meat, per capita consumption of turkey nearly doubled over the 1980s, peaking at 14.4 pounds per person in 1996, according to Mark Jordan, executive director of LEAP Market Analytics in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

But interest in turkey has been steadily falling, thanks in part to price increases five years ago when flocks were hit by bird flu. Annual consumption is now around 12 pounds, Jordan said.

Turkey sales have even been falling at Thanksgiving as consumers explore alternatives, according to Nielsen data. Last November, Americans spent $643 million on turkey, down 3.5% from the previous year. They spent $1.9 billion on beef, which was up 4%. And they spent $12 million — or more than double the prior year — on alternatives like plant-based meat.

Jordan thinks the uncertainty about Thanksgiving demand will hurt groceries hardest. If they discount turkeys, they can sell them but it will hurt profits. If they keep prices high and consumers pass, they’ll be stuck with a lot of turkeys.

“I don’t see many ways that they win this holiday season,” Jordan said.

The uncertainty may well see a repeat at Christmas — both in the U.S. and beyond.

Christmas turkeys are a staple in Britain, where turkey farmers are also bracing for slimmed-down festivities after the government told people not to meet in groups of more than six.

Richard Calcott raises 2,000 Christmas turkeys each year at Calcott Turkeys in Tamworth, England. He bought his turkey chicks — known as poults — in February and March, and it was too late to switch to a smaller breed when pandemic restrictions took hold.

He has tweaked their diets to reduce the weight of each turkey by around 2.2 pounds by the time they’re ready for market. Still, Calcott said he continues to get some orders for larger birds.

“It’s been a very difficult year for a lot of people this year,” he said. “Christmas will be a good time to get families back together.”

October 30, 2020 Aloun Farms, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Covid Restrictions Create New Norm For Pumpkin Patches

Chaminade Silversword
By Dominique Marshall

My family has made it an annual tradition to go to the pumpkin patch at Aloun Farms ever since I was a baby. Unfortunately for us, our tradition may not pull through this year because Aloun Farms has decided to cancel the event for the safety of its’ guests. Although it is not the same as Aloun Farms, Waimanalo Country Farm will have to suffice in order to keep our tradition alive! However, that is not the only pumpkin patch on the island and Waimanalo Country Farm thought of another way to have it while still following all of the restrictions.

The solution to this was to have a drive-thru pumpkin patch, which included an audio-guided tour of the farm from the comfort of your car and 20 minutes in the pumpkin patch to take pictures and pick your pumpkin.

When I first heard about it, I was a little skeptical because one of my favorite things about going is being able to walk up to the fields to explore what they had to offer. Being from Hawaii, it is really difficult to get into the fall spirit because we don’t experience the leaves changing colors and the weather getting colder. Going to the pumpkin patch is one of the best ways to get us into the spirit of Fall.

While scrolling through Instagram, I noticed that a lot of people started posting about the drive-thru pumpkin patch so I decided to look into it. In order to go, you have to make a reservation online, where you choose the time, date, and how many people are in the car. It costs $10 per person and the maximum amount of people that you can have per car is 5. This event runs until Oct. 31.

When you first arrive at the farm, you check-in and are given a form to fill out for their market along with a QR code to scan. The price of admission includes a choice of a flavored lemonade or sweet tea. Once your time slot comes, are given the okay to continue, you begin the audio tour. The first stop is one of the most popular, the patch to pick your pumpkin!

The area that they had set for the patch was laid out perfectly and it was very easy to social distance from other parties. Aside from social distancing, the strictest rule was taking the first pumpkin you touched, which was very different from a normal pumpkin picking because I normally pick it up and examine it fully to make sure that it is the perfect one. So I had to change my tactic this year and go based on just how they look from afar. Although it was a different experience from previous years, it still brought back all of the good memories with my family.

After spending 20 minutes getting your photos and picking your pumpkin, you head to the exit and purchase the pumpkin for $10, you get back into the car and drive to another big tractor wheel to scan another QR code to continue the tour. It goes through the complete farm showcasing different parts of it from the animals to the other plants that they grow. It was interesting to hear the history of the farm and how many generations it has gone through. Being able to have an audio tour was a great touch to the whole experience because although we had to stay in our cars and avoid socializing it made us still feel like we were connected to the family who owns the farm.

At the end of the tour is the country market where you pick up the items you ordered on the form you got in the beginning. They offer different types of items from sweet corn to smaller pumpkins. All of the items ordered here are excluded from the price of admission. The prices range from $8 to $15 depending on the item.

Overall the whole experience went smoothly and was fun for all members of the family. For more information about the Drive-thru pumpkin patch and other events, visit the Waimanalo Country Farm website.