Tag: department of agriculture

August 20, 2009 General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

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

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. 

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August 17, 2009 General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Animal Quarantine Information – Hawaii Department of Agriculture

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

August 16, 2009 General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

KauaiEclectic: Musings: Planning Overhaul

 

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

August 13, 2009 General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Big Island legislators to host info briefing on Kulani Correctional Facility

Kulani Prison
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

August 9, 2009 General Ag News and Notes 1 Comment

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

Hanalei Click for Larger Image
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

August 7, 2009 General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

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

 

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.
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