August 21, 2012 Minutes
KCFA Board Meeting at CTAHR Office, Kainaliu
Board Members in attendance: C. Smith, B. Corker, C. Bondera, L. Hanna, P. Uster, C. Carrico, and 9 members.
The meeting was convened at 4PM by Pres.Cea Smith who extended thanks to Bruce Corker, Rancho Aloha Farms, for providing coffee for the meeting and announced next month’s coffee to be provided by Louise Hanna, Luther Coffee Farm.
Visiting members introduced themselves.
Motion was made by C. Bondera to approve the July meeting minutes as amended by Bruce Corker and Cea Smith, seconded by B. Corker. Motion passed. Revised minutes to be distributed.
Treasurer’s report and Financial Committee Report given by C. Carrico, who announced that she was stepping down as Treasurer and Louise Hanna will be Treasurer until the next election, Kurt Schweickhard is our new bookkeeper beginning July 1, 2012 and he provided the bank balance as of July 31, 2012, $29,173.74. Louise Hanna reminded the Board members of the importance and necessity of using the Expense Voucher/Merchandise Sold form when submitting requests for payments and reporting deposits, form must be accompanied by receipts, form can be sent electronically, with original receipts to be submitted to Kurt by mail or in person. The financial committee’s next meeting will be scheduled for next week. Louise Hanna will be added as signature to bank account and C. Carrico will be deleted. C, Carrico will remain as a board member.
Motion made to approve treasurer’s report by B. Corker, seconded by C. Bondera. Motion Passed
Motion made by Colehour Bondera to name Louise Hanna as Treasurer replacing Christy Carrico effective immediately. Motion seconded by Cea Smith. Motion passed.
GUEST SPEAKER
Suzanne Shriner gave an update on the Aug 24,25 CBB Workshop. Classes on Friday and Saturday morning with farm visits in North Kona in the afternoon, farm visits to be scheduled in South Kona for Sunday and Monday. Event is sponsored by HCFCU, Kamehameha Schools, KCFA, and Kona County Farm Bureau. The presenter housing is being provided by a KCFA member, 75 participants, including Kau Farmers, Kona Farmers, and UH members are currently registered; registration at the door is allowed. Video camera is still needed to record the event. Portable tents needed. Coffee pumps needed. C. Smith offered to help find needed items. Question was asked, “What about farmers who cannot attend” Answer - Information presented at event will be available to non attendees in an effort to provide the best education possible to as many farmers as possible. Thank you was extended to Suzanne for her continued effort to organize and produce this event.
OLD BUSINESS
Safeway Update given by Bruce Corker. Safeway has not fulfilled their commitment as promised to sell and accurately label their Kona blend product which would contain a minimum of 10% Kona coffee.
The failure was witnessed by a July 5, 2012 purchase of coffee in Seattle and purchases of same in Livermore and Pleasanton CA. Bruce had an email conversation with the President of Safeway commencing on July 25th reminding him of the commitment made to change their product and label by March 2012 for ground coffee products and by June 2012 for whole bean products and Bruce included a photo of the recently purchased product which did not meet the commitment. Conversation ended with an August 2, 2012 response from Tina Massengill , Director of Corporate relations, saying she would be back in touch soon. Colehour Bondera sent an email to Safeway suggesting they produce a 51% blend product, no response received. The board authorized Bruce to send an email to Safeway giving them a week to fulfill their commitment or our general strike of Safeway would be reinstated.
Cea Smith gave an Update on HDOA Meetings in Honolulu concerning the revisions of coffee standards by HDOA including, the redefining Prime Coffee Standards or (the dumbing down of Prime), farmer provided certification or self grading, Certification of Transportation for farmers and mills. A lively discussion ensued – question offered by Bondera, “Can a farmer make up a new grade name?” It was noted that the penalty for deceptive labeling does not include misrepresentation of origin of foreign imported coffee, only Hawaiian coffee. Cea noted that the very redefinition of coffee proposed would allow for robusta varieties to be called Kona coffee. David Case, who was not allowed to attend the meeting stated that President Cea Smith had made a significant contribution to the meeting, and that a phone participation would not be as valuable in protecting or informing our members of what is in the works. It was noted that after the prelim meetings a recommendation will be drafted and there will be public hearings held, but that will, in reality, be too late to enter the discussion. The board decided to continue to send Cea Smith, if invited, to these meetings and that the financial commitment of $200-300 per month was well worth having our voice and ears at the table.
NEW BUSINESS
Bruce Corker introduced his Resolution Supporting California Ballot Proposition 37 and Consumers’ Right To Know. This prop would require disclosure labeling of the use of GMO ingredients on all processed products sold in California. C. Bondera stated this prop could change labeling standards in all of USA since the California market is so large.
Motion made by B. Corker to adopt and send the resolution to the sponsoring authors of Prop 37, seconded by C. Carrico. Motion approved.
C. Smith to send from KCFA email.
Hawaii Farmers Union United reported on by David Case. The Union requested to receive our members contact information. L. Hanna stated that our by-laws restrict the distribution of that information. The by-laws were quoted. The KCFA will join the Union as per the July Board meeting. A discussion ensued including the fact that members should have a right to choose who gets their email address, and this has been challenged before. Other alternatives were discussed including - we could distribute through our own email stream whatever the Union wants distributed, or we could provide a link to the union site on our site. The final decision was to send an email to our members letting them opt in to us providing their email to the Union. Only members who OPT IN will have their address provided to the Union.
It was proposed that a standing committee, The Hawaii Farmers Union United Committee, be created and that David Case would be the head of that committee and the liaison of the KCFA to the Farmers Union.
Motion made by B. Corker to send David Case to the Hawaii Farmers Union United October meeting on Maui,
Motion seconded by C. Carrico. Motion passed.
Bruce Corker proposed that KCFA should consider offering Candidate Forums on Agricultural Issues in early October as we have in the past. Sandra Scarr has offered to help organize and David Case volunteered to help.
Meeting adjourned at 5:50PM.
Respectfully submitted by Louise Hanna, Substituting for Thomas Butler, Secretary
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Committee Reports:
Geographic Identities- Colehour Bondera
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Legislative- Bruce Corker —August 21, 2012
1—2012 ELECTIONS: CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRES—Sent to 34 primary candidates, with 31 responses received and posted on the website. Responses and comments of the primary winners continue to be posted. Many thanks to Cea for hours of work sending questionnaires and posting responses.
CANDIDATE FORUM—Are there Board members (or other members) willing to assist with an Agricultural Issues Candidate Forum in Kona in October sponsored by KCFA--perhaps in cooperation with other farm associations?
2—SB 2649: This bill was enacted into law this legislative session and authorizes the counties to identify certain non-residential farm structures as exempt from the requirement of obtaining county building code permits. The Hawaii County Mayor’s Agriculture Advisory Commission requested KCFA to provide suggestions on the types of coffee farm structures to be included in the exemption list. Thanks to Bob Smith, KCFA sent the following suggestions: Water Source Bldg; Pulping Mill; Drying Deck; Storage Shed for Coffee Supplies (Burlap Bags, etc.); Storage Shed for Coffee; Green Mill; Roasting Facility; Equipment Storage Shed
3—SB 1524: This bill was enacted into law this legislative session and appears to make it a felony to transport an agricultural commodity of more than $100 in value [driving on Mamalahoa Highway with 50 pounds of green coffee to be delivered to Holualoa Kona Coffee Company for roasting??] without an “Ownership & Movement Certificate”. The Legislative Committee is working to clarify how this new law will be interpreted and applied.
4—2013 LEGISLATIVE SESSION: The Legislative Committee is working on strategy and proposed legislation for next year’s session of the State Legislature.
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Membership/Volunteers- Louise Hanna
Report of members who have renewed or joined KCFA
July 15, – Aug 15, 2012
| Name | City | Voting | Associate | Supporting business | New / Renew |
| Tanya Kerns | Pahoa, HI | X | N | ||
| Beth Jensen | Keizer, OR | X | N | ||
| Jean Orlowski | Captain Cook, HI | X | N | ||
| Mary Cowen | Boulder, CO | X | N | ||
| Patrick Loftus | Captain Cook HI | X | N | ||
| Totals | 3 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Current Members | 243 | 52 | 34 |
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Pest & Disease- Bob Smith
There is nothing significant to report at this time. Control measures (spraying Fungus) seems to be working. This conclusion is based on personal observations and discussions with other farmers. Some farmers are reporting increased activity as the coffee starts to mature and ripen. Just a reminder: A CBB workshop with Luis Aristizabal, a CBB expert from Columbia is Scheduled for August 24th and 25th. If you have not signed up there is still time to do so. This workshop will be enlightening!
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PR/Newsletter- Clare Wilson
Edited the August issue of “The Independent Voice”.
Dispersed media release for the important CBB Workshop to be held on Aug. 24 and 25.
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Education/Grants- Paul Uster All quiet on the Grants and Education front this month. Dr. Luis Aristizabal will speak on CBB integrated pest management on August 24 and 25 at the Kona Hongwanji in Kealakekua. There is a $25 registration fee for the two day workshop which starts 9AM each day. Sign up to learn the experience of another coffee growing region (Colombia) with managing la broca.
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Finance- C.Carrico/L. Hanna (to be given at meeting)
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Fundraising/Social Events – Mary Lou Moss
Aloha board members, All’s quiet on the Social Events front. The New Member Welcome BBQ that was scheduled for Aug. 19th was rescheduled for Sept. 30. Same location, 2-Step. 11-4 p.m. I need volunteers to help with this as I will still be recovering from foot surgery.
Fundraising I have a date of April 20, 2013 for our Spring Banquet. Does anyone have any problems with that date??? Same place, King Kamehameha. Easter this year is March 31, so our banquet should not conflict with Easter. If this date is okay, I will go ahead and start securing an auctioneer, music, etc.
