Category: Agriculture Grants

October 10, 2010 Agriculture Grants, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Grants available for Native Hawaiian cultural programs

The Hawaii Tourism Authority is accepting funding applications for 2011 Native Hawaiian cultural and natural resources programs.

The agency announced it is seeking applications for projects that honor and perpetuate the Hawaiian culture and community, and that strengthen the relationship between the visitor industry and the Hawaiian community.

It also is seeking projects that manage, improve and protect Hawaii’s natural environment and areas frequented by visitors.

Request for proposal packets are now available at HTA’s office at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu, on the agency’s website or by contacting HTA by phone.

The deadline to apply for either program is Nov. 4.

Grants available for Native Hawaiian cultural programs – Hawaii News – Staradvertiser.com

September 27, 2010 Agriculture Grants, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Hawaii rural companies get fed clean energy grants

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii businesses are receiving federal money to help increase renewable energy production.

Hawaii Director for Rural Development Chris Kanazawa said the grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will help create jobs and reduce energy use for rural communities.

Lalamilo Farm Partners in Kamuela will receive nearly $170,000 to help buy and install a 95 kilowatt photovoltaic system.

O Guest Ranch Maui in Kula will get $70,000 for a 43 kilowatt photovoltaic system on a dairy farm.

Hawaii rural companies get fed clean energy grants – Yahoo! Finance

September 24, 2010 Agriculture Grants, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

East-West Center to help Pacific islands cope with climate change

A federal agency has awarded $3.8 million to the East-West Center to help Hawaii and several Pacific island nations cope with the effect of climate changes.

The five-year grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will help to bring together scientists and decision-makers to help Pacific communities respond to changing climates, East-West spokesman Derek Ferrar said.

The areas included in the Pacific Regional Integrated Science and Assessment program are the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, and American Samoa.

East-West Center to help Pacific islands cope with climate change – Hawaii News – Staradvertiser.com

September 23, 2010 Agriculture Grants, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Feds helping Big Island company with $5 mil loan guarantee

An energy company on the Big Island will receive a $5 million loan guarantee from the federal government to help finish construction of a manufacturing plant in Kawaihae.

The announcement was made Thursday in a Washington news release by Hawaii’s Democratic U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka.

Big Island Carbon’s $25 million plant will convert discarded macadamia nut shells into a product that can generate power, filter air and purify water.

Plans call for the company to buy about 10,000 tons of more than 20,000 tons of shells produced annually on the Big Island to convert into 1,000 tons of granular activated carbon.

Big Island Carbon will power its own operations. Any excess biofuel or gas will be sold on the island.

Feds helping Big Island company with $5 mil loan guarantee – Hawaii News – Staradvertiser.com

August 24, 2010 Agriculture Grants, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

$12.8M to help protect lands across Hawaii

Several nonprofit organizations, a state agency and three local counties have been awarded $3.3 million from a state land preservation fund to protect 753 acres on the Big Island, Kauai, Molokai and Oahu.

The money from the Legacy Land Conservation Program will be matched with about $9.5 million from federal, county and private sources to acquire land or protective easements for public benefit.

Seven projects are being financed, including four land purchases totaling 25 acres and three easements covering 728 acres.

Laura Thielen, chairwoman of the state Board of Land and Natural Resources, said the fund provides an efficient way to protect land containing important natural, cultural or agricultural value. “By providing these grants as incentive, the state is utilizing mostly private and federal funds to protect these resources,” she said in a statement announcing the awards.

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June 25, 2010 Agriculture Grants, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

USDA Blog » Biomass and Biofuel – What’s in it for Hawaii’s Agriculture?

Hawaii and the Pacific Basin

The dwindling global supply of fossil fuels and the resulting escalation in prices has set the stage for entry of commercial biofuel produced from biomass, including co-products and bi-products. This transition in the energy sector’s feed stocks offers Hawaii a unique opportunity to locally produce biofuel from locally produced biomass feed stocks, and ultimately support the stabilization of the state’s energy resources; increase the local circulation of energy dollars; and further under gird Hawaii’s agricultural industry.

In October 2009, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced plans for a “Great Green Fleet” to demonstrate that Navy and Marine Corps ships and aircraft could operate utilizing non-fossil fuels by year 2016. In January, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Secretary Mabus to support the biomass and biofuel development that would ultimately fuel the Green Fleet. Hawaii was selected as a pilot region, with USDA providing the “push” through research and business incentives and the Navy making the “pull” with plans for purchase of biofuel from locally produced biomass.

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June 13, 2010 Agriculture Grants, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

State offering agricultural leases in Pahoa | Hawaii 24/7

MEDIA RELEASE

The state Department of Agriculture (HDOA) is now accepting applications for lease negotiations on seven parcels of state agricultural land in the Pahoa Agricultural Park.

Interested persons should submit an application to the Agricultural Resource Management Division (ARMD) to determine whether they are qualified to hold an agricultural lease with the state. The deadline to submit the application is 3 p.m. July 14. Once qualified, the applicant will be notified about submitting a proposal for the parcel.

To qualify, a potential lessee must:
* Be a U.S. citizen who has resided in the State of Hawaii for at least three years; or
* Is a permanent status alien who has resided in the state for at least five years; and
* Is a bon fide farmer or new farmer as defined in the Hawaii Administrative Rules.

The parcels available in the Pahoa Ag Park include:
* Lot 1 – 10.193 acres
* Lot 3 – 10 acres
* Lot 12 – 29.166 acres
* Lot 15 – 19.596 acres
* Lot 18 – 5.372 acres
* Lot A – 13.428 acres
* Lot 8 – 5.002 acres

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May 17, 2010 Agriculture Grants, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Agriculture Leadership Foundation accepting applicants

HONOLULU – The Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii is accepting applications for its latest class in the Agriculture Leadership Program: Class XIII.

The program is for promising leaders from Hawaii’s agriculture, natural resources management and rural community sectors. “Through this program, individuals who have already demonstrated a commitment to lead in their line of work or community activities will develop the knowledge, relationships, tools and skills that will enable them to be more successful in their work and all community endeavors,” said Executive Director Kim Coffee-Isaak.

“For Class XIII, the program is now being opened to professionals in natural resources management,” said Coffee-Isaak, adding that the hope is to “create stronger bridges between Hawaii’s agricultural and conservation communities.”

Recruitment information can be found at www.agleaderhi.org program_recruitment.htm. The deadline is July 2.

For any other questions on the Agriculture Leadership Program, call 947-2914 in Honolulu or visit www.agleaderhi.org.

Agriculture Leadership Foundation accepting applicants – Mauinews.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Visitor’s Information – The Maui News

May 5, 2010 Agriculture Grants, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Renewable Energy Opportunities

Release No. 0231.10

Secretary Vilsack, Obama Administration Officials, and Rural Energy Stakeholders Discuss Renewable Energy Opportunities During Clean Energy Forum

WASHINGTON, May 5, 2010 -Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and other administration officials joined rural stakeholders from across the country at a clean energy economy forum at the White House. The group discussed renewable energy opportunities for rural communities and the Obama Administration’s efforts to help rural America build a clean energy economy that creates jobs, reduces our dependence on foreign oil and enhances our position in the global economy. The Administration officials also had the opportunity to hear from farmers, ranchers and producers about their experiences in the emerging clean energy economy.

At the forum, Secretary Vilsack also noted that today marks the one year anniversary of President Obama’s Biofuels Directive and said that implementation of the renewable energy provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill) continues to move forward rapidly.

"Renewable energy production is a key to sustainable economic development in rural America," Vilsack said. "We must rapidly escalate the production of biofuels to meet the 2022 Federal Renewable Fuels standard goal, and much of this biofuel will come from feedstocks produced by America’s farmers and ranchers.

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