KCFA BOD Meeting
Aug.20,2013
CTAHR Office, Kainaliu
Call to Order by at 4:00 PM
Present: T. Butler, C. Smith, C. Bondera. K. Schweickhard C.Coleman and ML Moss
Guests: Mark Schultise and David Case
100% Kona coffee provided by C. Bondera
September coffee to be provided by ML. Moss
Minutes - Motion was made by ML Moss to approve the July minutes and was seconded by C. Bondera. Motion passed.
Treasurer’s report - Motion by ML Moss to approve the report was seconded by C. Bondera. Motion passed.
Treasurer informed the following:
Income: approximately 50% came from fund raising
9% from dues
25% from gifts and other 14%
Expenses totaled 62% of income of which 42% were for cost goods sold and 56%
for operating expenses
NEW BUSINESS
The Patrick Deveney farm tour will be on Monday, Aug. 26 at the Moss farm.
Rep. Colleen Hanabusa will be at Greenwell Farms also on Monday and Bob Smith will be attending the Forum as the KCFA representative.
The Expo will be held on Friday, Jan.31, 2014. Planning begins now.
The Nomination Committee will soon be formed to begin the nomination process.
Hawaii Farmers Union United- David Case
The origin product idea is much stronger in Europe then in the US. Small farms are better protected from their products being commoditized and compromised.
A motion was made by K. Schweickard saying,” In keeping with our mission statement, KCFA supports the HFUU in their support of the Hawaii Origin Products Act as it is in the 2014 legislature”. The motion was seconded by ML Moss and passed.
The KCFA also supports the Rep. Gabbord initiative HR 147 to the Farm Bill regarding the Hawaii Coffee plant. The HFUU supports this funding for pest control in Hawaii specifically the CBB. A motion was made by C. Bondera to officially show our support for HR147 and was seconded by K. Schweickhard. Motion passed. It was suggested that our Legislation Committee draft a letter to our Federal representatives to show our support.
David Case explained how much money has been funded for CBB. The CBB Task Force has designated SHAC as agent to implement the $200,000 contract awarded the CBB Task Force in May of this year. The Legislature allocated the $200,000 to HDOA in 2011, but it took HDOA nearly two years to determine the competitive process required to spend the money.
The Legislature authorized another $800,000 in 2013, $500,000 of which is to go to research at $250,000 a year for 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 and
$300,000 for 2013-2014 to mitigation ie to the farmers for CBB supplies.
The $800,00 must be matched, however, dollar for dollar by funds from
other government or private sources.
Sen. Hirono, working with USDA Secretary Vilsack, was also able secure
another $1 million to be allocated to PBARC some of which reportedly would be reallocated to CTAHR for initial CBB scientific research. SHAC also has had access to other USDA monies and has applied for more. The total amount allocated or to be allocated to SHAC is not known, but is believed to be more than $1 million.
Finally, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has included up to an additional $2 million
each year for five years in the House Farm Bill (HR 1947) for a "Coffee
Plant Health Initiative." It is uncertain, however, whether a Farm Bill
will be enacted this year and if it is whether the Gabbard amendment will be included and if included whether it will include the full amount Gabbard has requested.
Committee Reports for August 20, 2013
Committee:
-Education/Coffee Talk - Louise Hanna and Chris Coleman
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-Finance- K. Schweickhard
Balance sheet for July was circulated to all Board Members.
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-Fundraising. M. Moss Social Events – M.Moss and C. Coleman
Aloha Board,
Social: The last event was the BBQ down at Two-Step. We had 86 RSVP’s and about that many showed up for our event. Rob Curtiss was on hand to answer questions from our farmers and Cea asked members if they would sign up to help us volunteer at our major events. We had a good response we will follow up.
Bruce Corker & I met on the Holualoa Coffee and Art Stroll for KCCF on Nov. 2 and discussed adding a “Chef’s Award”. We would like to have restaurants from the “Coffee Belt” be the judges. Bruce contacted Keei Cafe and Bobby was not interested. I have contacted Holuakoa Cafe and they are pretty sure they will participate. I will contact Mi’s Bistro in Bruce’s adsence. Anyone else have any restaurant suggestions? The meeting with the Holualoa Village Association (HVA) will be on Sept. 9th.
Chris has placed calls/talked with several members of the KCC with regard to KCFA co-sponsoring the cupping during the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. No response and since the KCCF magazine deadline for placing ads, etc. is near, Chris says it is unlikely we will be a co-sponsor this year.
No upcoming Social event is scheduled at this time – ideas welcome. The next Event will be the Cultural Festival in November.
Yikes!
Signed up a new KCFA member yesterday who called and wanted help with her moisture meter. Chuck gave a lesson and decided that she wanted to become a member. Her name is Julia Smith-Kibby and she has a farm in Makalei Estates. She also has a home in Alaska and will split her time, but she is very excited about the coffee. She has 2 acres in coffee.
ml
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-Geographic Identities- C.Bondera
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-Legislative- B.Corker
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE—August 20, 2013
1—Discussion Meetings: During the week of August 4, KCFA participated in 3 different discussion meetings with legislators. In each meeting CBB and other coffee-related issues were addressed. The meetings were (1) on August 6, Kona State Rep. Nicole Lowen hosted a “Lawmakers Listen” forum with 8 State Representatives, including House Speaker Joe Souki; (2) on August 7, PBARC organized a meeting with legislative members of the State Finance Committee to discuss the CBB emergency; and (3) on August 8, US Senator Mazie Hirono hosted an informal discussion with coffee farmers and coffee buyers to discuss a range of coffee-related issues, including CBB mitigation. Among the KCFA members participating in one or more of these meetings were Cea Smith, Suzanne Shriner, Colehour Bondera, David Case, and Bruce Corker.
2—HB353 RFPs: During the KCFA Pre-Harvest Picnic, Kona’s HDOA entomologist Rob Curtiss invited KCFA to meet and discuss farmer perspectives on use of the $800,000 for matching grant funds authorized by the enactment of HB353 this past session. In response to the invitation, Colehour Bondera, Cea Smith, Bob Smith and Bruce Corker met with Rob and CTAHR Extension Agent Andrea Kawabata on August 13. Rob and Andrea were encouraged to seek to have these matching grant funds directed to (1) programs directly subsidizing the cost to farmers of purchasing b. bassiana fungus; and (2) emergency research to rapidly develop--and to get out to farmers—a clear, practical and cost-effective CBB mitigation program.
3—2014 Legislative Session: On August 15, the Committee met to begin preparations for the 2014 Legislative Session. Among the issues considered for legislative action are labeling reforms, protection of Hawaii geographic origin identities, and the need for greater funding for CBB research and mitigation. If you have suggestions on these or other legislative issues, please let us know.
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-Membership/Volunteers- L.Hanna
Membership Report
New members this month:
Brian Kim , Montgomery NY Associate
Weston Sieb, Dallas TX , Associate
John Miller, Kailua Kona, HI, Voting Farmer
Stevan Perick, Franklin WI, Voting Farmer
Wayne Helg Jr, Honolulu, HI, supporting business
We now have 250 Voting Farmers, 43 Supporting businesses, and 50 Associates
Aloha, Louise Hanna
***** Volunteers: from C. Smith- At our Preharvest Barbeque, the following signed up to be volunteers and help usJ. We are SO grateful!! We are planning a meeting soon with them , but we would like to thank them for offering their time and energy. If anyone knows any of the following people, please thank them from all of us: James Slusser <*Events,*PR,*Coffee Talk, *Other>, Kathy Gedeon <*Events>, Tony Ambut<*Events>, Kally Coschke <”whatever is needed”>, Roland and Pat Fornataro <*Events,*Make Calls> , Miles Mulcahey <*Events, *Other>, Dard Aller <*Events>, Janel Panek (Dan Sullivan is the member)<*Events, *other> , Sheana Lee <*Cultural Festival>, Seung Woo Lee <Cultural Festival>, Marc Paisin <*Other>, and Kris & Coralie (from Marc Paisin’s farm)<*Events>.
*Indicates the category the volunteer signed up forJ
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-Pest & Disease- B.Smith
Bruce, Colehour, Cea and I met with Rob Curtiss (HDOA) and Andrea (CTAHR) concerning the State's $800,000 grant, giving our farmer perspectives. Rob is in charge of evaluating all the proposals. Still concerned about the effect of the losses from the Black Twig Borer in the Honaunau area, which appear to be worse than the losses from CBB.
aloha, Bob Smith
_________________________________________________________________________ -PR/Newsletter- A. Kelleher is away but did lots this past month
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-HFUU Liaison- D. Case
*A-HOP Act of 2014 Origins Product Bill-08-16-13- (19 pages sent to all Board Members) - Discussion added to Agenda
*Origins Product White Paper- (sent to all Board Members)
-CBB Task Force Report- D. Case
*SHAC Agency Agreement- “approved draft” 8-07-2013- sent to all Board Members
CBB TASK FORCE REPORT
Things are finally moving on the CBB Task Force. In late July we received 80% of the HDOA $200,000 contract ($160,000), which was deposited in the Task Force bank account. Between then and August 8 we I negotiated an “Agency Agreement” with the Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council (“SHAC”) to administer the contract as the CBB Task Force’s agent. The CBB Task Force Board then met on August 8 to approve the Agency Agreement, which has been executed and sent to SHAC for signature. Of the $200,000, $140,000 is budgeted to buy Botanigard for farmers, $10,000 for CBB education on other islands and $40,000 for salaries. A copy of the Agreement will be available at the KCFA Board meeting for review.
At the same meeting the Board acted on the Hawaii Farm Bureau’s Kona Chapter request for a seat on the Task Force Board. The Board was advised that the Hawaii Farm Bureau had agreed to cede its seat on the Board to the Kona Chapter with Una Greenaway to remain on as the representative for the Kona Chapter.
Finally the CBB Task Force Board heard a report about Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s amendment to the Farm Bill (HR 1947) just passed in the U.S. House of Representatives. If passed into law the amendment would authorize $2 million per year for five years to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a “Coffee Plant Health Initiative” in Hawaii. I am drafting a letter for the CBB Task Force in support of the amendment and will bring a copy along with the amendment to the Board meeting.
HFUU REPORT- HFUU State News
The HFUU State Board has set five equal legislative goals:
Legislation to support Natural farming mentoring centers (Korean Natural Farming);
Legislation to support Nutrient Recycling Centers (composting of food waste);
Enactment of the Tester-Hagen Amendment to the Farm Bill (food safety certification exemptions for small-scale farms with less than $500K in annual revenue);
Defense of the County of Origin Labeling
Enactment of the Gabbard “Coffee Plant Health Initiative” Amendment now in the House Farm Bill (HR 1947), and
Sponsorship of the 2014 Hawaii Origin Products Act. I’ll bring a copy of the draft Bill an explanation of the reasons for it and a White Paper explaining the history of Origin product promotion and protection.
The HFUU State annual meeting is now tentatively scheduled for November 22nd in Maui to elect a Vice-President and review and adopt Amended and Restated Bylaws and Articles of incorporation. We have determined that HFUU is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation, which we are advised includes the Chapters as a part of the state nonprofit. Amending and restating the Bylaws and Articles will among other things clarify that relationship.
HFUU Chapter News
The Kona Chapter now counts 39 members (up from the original 19) and has scheduled its first membership potluck for September 14 on Diane Heinlein’s farm. It will include speakers and a program related to principles of composting, natural farming and their relationship to nutrient dense foods.
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-Website Committee- B.Corker and C. Smith
Under Priority #1, was website redo. After 2 years, our needs have changed. Bruce and I have asked our programmer, Valerie, to revamp the Home page with our multitude of ideas. We also asked to have the KCFA site moved to a new host which will speed it up. (It has been painfully slow- even Valerie admits). This host site change should be completed in the next week. I have spent time organizing much of the material into fewer categories. Within one month, most everything should be done. Hope you like it.
Adjourned at 5:37 PM
Minutes recorded by Sec. T. Butler
