Kona Coffee Farmers Association
Board of Directors meeting
KCFA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING—MONDAY, February 11, 2019
Yano Hall, Kealakekua
The Kona Coffee Farmers Association’s mission is to promote and protect Kona farmers’ economic interests in 100% Kona coffee, to protect the Kona coffee heritage, and to seek greater legal protection of the Kona coffee name.
CALL TO ORDER— 2:30 pm
Cecelia Smith, vice-president called to order, Jim Monk run meeting, Arturo Ballar x, Colehour Bondera x, Bruce Corker x, Kay Dixon , Chet Gardiner x, Jeanne Kapela
Tom Lawson x, Jim Monk x, Jean Orlowski x, Armando Rodrequiz x, Cecelia Smith x, Sandra Scarr x, Suzanne Shriner , Tari Sparks xKaren Zulkowski x
Attending members
Beth “Ana” Webb
Stephen Braund
GENERAL
Consent Agenda – (5 min)
Approval of January 14 Minutes-Jan 14 minutes delayed until next month Motion Jim and second Tom Motion passed
Approval of Membership Applications
Acceptance of Committee Reports
Introduction of board.
Board member introduction. Jean brought up several issues.
Discussion of Jean membership that he does not totally support growth of only Kona typica. Article 3 Section 1.2 definition of Kona coffee farmers discussed
Lively discussion of what is Kona coffee. Jean and Armando and Arturo do nor support just Kona typica. In 2018 this board strongly said what Kona coffee farmers association said about support of growing only Kona typica. Karen asks that this be discussed by an executive board meeting and then brought back to board of directors for discussion at next meeting.
Membership discussion of procedure. Karen made motion to accept membership applications and committee report. and Terri second. Motion passes
Treasurer’s Report – Jim (5 min)
January report not available
NEW BUSINESS
Coffee sign up for meetings (2 minutes) All months filled
Committees – (10 minutes) Suzanne
Karen expo will be March 30. A sign up sheet will go around next month for board members
- Committees: past chairs please discuss activities for new members (10 min) – All
Legislative Sandra told about kcfa inquiry with usda but Hawaii allows some in in spite of it being against federal law. - Membership Chet needs help and Jean agrees to help
- PR Kay asks to be on next month.
- Newsletter- Cea asks to send to Claire
- Colehour asks for members on organic committee
- A committee sign up sheet was passed around
- Vote on support/oppose SB869 Mandatory Certification (10 Minutes)- Bruce
HB 143 -51% labeling and HB 144 ready to drink passed out of ag committee. Has not been scheduled to CPC and asks that we email to get a hearing, so it doesn’t die. - SB869- mandatory inspection and certification of green coffee. In 2012 went from mandatory to self certification because of funding. Want to go back to mandatory because of counterfeiting. The bill is confusing as written. Last week it went to hearing to ag committee Dru asked that bill be modified out of committee. Now is mandatory if shipped out of region and 100 lbs or less requires no certification. Bruce recommends paper trail and he feels we should support amended bill. Armando feels this will benefit the big processors. Kay’s concern is that it will bog down certification process. but now is exempted if out of district. She feels it will be beneficial to large processors. HDOA does not support so will probable not pass.
Bruce motion that KCFA support passage as amended. Vote in favor- 9 opposed 3 abstain 0 - Slow Foods (10 minutes) – Colehour
Colehour explained slow foods nationally and internationally. Very lively discussion The board still supports going by vote. - Adding Cupping to KCFA (10 minutes) – Jean
Jean would like to add cupping as a program for farmers so they have scores as a member benefit. They could get scores and get new people in to get scores. They could be published on the website. Bruce agrees we need to expand our membership. He suggests restaurant recognition program. - OLD BUSINESS
EXPO: planning – (10 minutes) Karen
Sign up next month - Sandra new committee Discussion on going to executive committee to discuss mission and by-laws
Coffee Thank you to Karen
Next month BruceAdjourned 4:07
Committee Reports
Treasurer’s Report
Forthcoming from Jim
Web Committee Report
<Board Access Only> has been updated for current BOD-Please view our KCFA Virtual Board Manual”. <Log In> first with your username/password, and then in SEARCH box, enter [Board Access] or paste this URL into address bar at top: https://konacoffeefarmers.org/temp/board-access-only/board-access-only/ to view KCFA’s “Virtual Board Manual”.
Sent Emails to Members: Annual Membership Meeting, Legislative Testimony Needed, Mandatory Certification Bill, February 2019 “The Independent Voice”, and Invitation to Board Meeting
Did Facebook postings: Annual Meeting (3 posts), LFA announcement, Archaeological Tech and Hawksbill Turtle Project and February 2019 “The Independent Voice”.
Website revitalization is taking place in the background.
Ag Day Event Report:
Ag Day 2019: Colehour and Suzanne attended this event at the Capitol Building. Colehour and I gave out close to 200 samples of 100% Kona. We had printed copies of KCFA bills on the table, which gave us an opportunity to talk about our issues with elected officials and staffers alike. We were the only coffee as well as Big Island representatives present. When the event was done at 1pm, we walked the pump pots of coffee around to key capitol offices and had follow-up conversations with several offices.
KCFA should attend this event every year. It is hosted by the HI Farm Bureau and organized by their Gov Relations staff. The contact is Rachele Lamosao ([email protected], 808-848-2074). We took 2 pump pots, 1 lb medium, 1 lb dark roast, drip brewer, extension cord, bumper stickers, burlap bags, duct tape, brochures and banners.
From Newsletter Committee
Request more Board members to participate. Newsletter is read by more than 60% of Members when first sent out. We need articles or recipes etc. every end of the month. Clare does an excellent job as Editor and should be supported by being supplied with submissions.
Legislative Committee Report
KCFA Bills
1–HB143 (Ready to Drink coffee labeling): Passed out of the House Ag Committee on 1/30–with amendments. The amended version of the bill has not yet been posted. Next committee is Consumer Protection & Commerce (CPC). No notice of the CPC hearing has been issued.
The companion Senate bill is SB894; Senate Committee assignment is CPH (Commerce, Consumer Protection & Health)—no notice of Senate hearing has been issued.
2–HB144 (51% minimum and label Id of non-origin in Hawaii blends). Passed out of the House Ag Committee on 1/30 without amendments. Next committee is CPC. No notice of hearing has been issued.
HCA Bills
1-SB869 (Mandatory Certification) Passed out of Senate Ag on 2/1 with amendments. Sen. Dru Kanuha has indicated that he had received a number of contacts from concerned farmers. He said that he was going to request that the bill be amended to accomplish what he intended—a return to the pre-2012 system of mandatory certification only for green shipped out of the district of origin, with a 100 lb shipment exception for small farmers. The amended version from the Ag Committee has been posted and the amended language is what Sen. Kanuha indicated it would be. Next committee is the Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, & Health (CPH). No notice of hearing has been issued.
2–HB909 (False Labeling—adds “roasted coffee” to the Class C felony offense for false labeling of geographic origin, but also adds false labeling of grade standards to the offense. Unclear and troubling because there are no grade standards for roasted coffee—or cherry or parchment. Passed out of the House Ag Committee on 1/30 with amendments, but the amendments have not yet been posted. Next assignment is a joint assignment to CPC/JUD—with no hearing notice yet issued.
3–SB895 (False Labeling)—adds “roasted coffee” to green, cherry and parchment to the offense of false origin labeling of Hawaii-grown coffee. Unlike HB909 it does not add false labeling of grade standards to the offense. Committees assigned are CHP and JDC. No hearing notice has yet been issued.
Organic Committee Report,
No meetings had recently. Largest concern is attracting more certified organic members. Towards this end, we continue to work towards a State (HDOA) level means in order to permit an exception for organic producers of a control for little fire ants. With the change in Chair of HDOA, this process is slowed. An educational event will be put together in coming months in order to offer an overview on organic Kona coffee and some production basics. Finally, we should have a formal KCFA Organic Committee meeting, and would like to know who is interested in participating in such a meeting in late February? Please let me know ([email protected]).
Membership:
Counts (1/10/10):
Active Voting Members 201 – Up 5
Associate Members 21 – Up 1
Supporting Business Members 19 – Down 1
Total Membership: 245 – Down 5
New Members
Voting: Sarah Vinnedge – Vinnedge Farm – Captain Cook – Member #1000! ,Darcy Ames – Kona Amor ,Ronnie Ashback added as additional farm member with C.Westcott ,Mary Jo Rodrigues added with Mike Rodrigues , Jean Kapela – Kapela Farm, Captain Cook
Associate:Stephen Chenoweth
Renewals
Voting: John Balmores, Clare and Phil Wilson, Edwina Barnett Simmons, Bruce Luehrs, Mark Shultise, Guy Gosling, Doug McKanna, Calvin V Westcott, Bill and Erin Bailey (grandfathered – one vote), Colehour Bondera, Bruce Corker, Cheryl & Randy Merrick (one vote), Gretchen Lawson, Tom Lawson, Jim Gardner, Mike Rodrigues, Suzanne Shriner, Diane Shriner, Jacqueline Wikum, Ed and Judy Shuster ($45), Bill Wakefield, Misha Sperka, Erik Sperka, Julia Smith-Kibby, Sandra Scarr, Mary and Ron Cameron, Colin Jevens, Jason Stith, Thomas Butler, Christopher Quinn, Jenine Boido, Marcia Nora
Associates:
Mark Petersen, Masahiro Tsukagoshi, Kim Bryant, Luis Aristizabel, Bryce Decker, Matthew Mannette
Business:
Les(lie) Magsalay-Zeller, Bonnie Lind
Reported as Expired:
Joan Prater, Ann & Brad Lewis, Kurt Weigelt, Malaika Loftus, Mary Cowen, Linda Albers, James Rittenhouse
