KCFA BOD Meeting
July 16, 2013
CTAHR Office, Kainaliu
Call to Order by at 4:00 PM
Present: T. Butler, A. Kelleher, B. Corker, C. Smith, C. Bondera and K. Schweickhard and ML Moss
100% Kona coffee provided by Kurt Schweickhard.
August coffee to be provided by Colehour Bondera
Guests: Heather Larson of Hawaii Pacific Univ. who is researching small farms in USA.
Minutes - Motion was made by b. Corker to approve the June minutes and was seconded by C. Bondera. Motion passed.
Treasurer’s report - Motion by ML Moss to approve the report was seconded by A. Kellerher. Motion passed. In the future we will have a monthly balance Sheet and a quarterly Profit and Loss Statement.
NEW BUSINESS
Heather Larson spoke on agricultural sustainability and community initiatives. She is in the process of surveying KCFA farmers.
K. Scweickhard motioned to publish a resolution via a press release commentating B. Corker and the KCFA’s work with PBARC in promoting a USDA grant through Sen. Hirono’s office. Seconded by ML Moss. Motion passed.
The KCFA Social Committee will head a potluck BBQ for KCFA members at Two Step Beach on August 11 from 2-6 PM
Chamber of Commerce - C. Bondera motioned that KCFA budget $250 for admission fees to C of C monthly meetings. Motion seconded by ML Moss. Motion passed.
OLD BUSINESS
Certificate of Origin - B. Corker- The HDOA advises that the Hawaii Island Chamber of
Commerce in Hilo will be able to satisfy the Certificate requirements.
A motion was made by B. Corker that he be authorized to pay up to $350 for lawyer services regarding this subject. Motion seconded by C. Bondera. Motion passed
A. Kelleher abstained
COMMITTEE REPORTS
-Finance- K. Schweickhard
Emailed to all Board Members July 10, 2013 Excel File containing all the revised Committee Budgets as discussed at the budget meeting. Please note, all the $ amounts greyed out and bold are items which need additional discussion as per Board decision. You also find additional worksheets for Committees where Budgets have not been allocated. Another attachment is the Budget Overview. It summarizes all committee Budgets into the main KCFA Budget. Let me know if you see any discrepancies or if any other items have changed while I was gone. Mahalo, Kurt
Extensive P&L information for June 2013 mailed to all Board Members on 7/14/13
*************************************************************************************************Fundraising/Social Events – M.Moss and C. Coleman
Aloha All,
Social Report: Save the Date: PreHarvest BBQ at 2-Step on Sunday, August 11. 2-6 p.m. I will go to Costco and buy some hotdogs/buns & hamburger/buns. Attendees can bring salads, chips, drinks, desserts. I have plates & silverware.
Fundraising Report: Have not heard from KCC as to any meetings about the cupping contest.
A meeting is scheduled for early September for the Holualoa Coffee & Art Stroll event.
A meeting is needed for all board members to discuss EXPO. We can have the meeting before the BBQ at 2-Step or at my house on another date – early August.
ML
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-Geographic Identities- C.Bondera
Geographical Identity Committee Report, July, 2013
• Signatory on letter from oriGIn to Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) regarding name protection of GI products. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs Agreement) [which has currently 159 Member States, ie, countries] recognizes GIs as an independent category of intellectual property. This letter seeks that international understandings on trade agreements and international marketing have the same definitions in use and would apply to Kona coffee along with the many hundreds of other products around the world that are geographically based and not simply generic.
• The American Origin Products Association has put up the first version of their website. While very basic and young, the website can be visited at: www.aop-us.org .
Please send any questions or comments, and we can discuss as needed at the meeting.
Cheers, Colehour
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-Legislative- B.Corker
Legislative Committee—July 16, 2013
1—Hawaii County Council Bill 79 (Limited Ban on GMO Crops): At the June 18 KCFA Board meeting, Colehour Bondera introduced and the Board unanimously adopted a resolution in support of Bill 79. This bill has been introduced by County Council Member Margaret Wille and would prohibit most GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) crops in Hawaii County. On July 2 and 3, more than a dozen KCFA members and hundreds of other County residents testified to the Council in favor of the bill. A number of KCFA members testified concerning the threat of economic damages to Kona Coffee posed by potential GMO contamination—a threat which was dramatically illustrated by the decision of Japan last month to bar shipments of white wheat from the US after GMO contaminated white wheat was found on a farm in Oregon. If Kona Coffee were to be contaminated with GMO genes through cross-pollination or otherwise, we would be at risk of losing Japanese and European markets for our crop. If this were to happen, the adverse economic impact would be devastating. The County Council will further consider Bill 79 later this month.
2—$1 Million in USDA Funding for CBB Research and Mitigation: On May 23, US Senator Mazie Hirono called left advanced word with KCFA that she had been advised by US Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack that the USDA would be making available $1 million for CBB research and mitigation. After having received formal written notification of funding from the USDA in early July, Sen. Hirono issued a press release on July 11 announcing this funding decision. As a result of the press release, KCFA President Cea Smith was contacted by various media outlets for comment and she expressed the appreciation of Kona coffee farmers for the USDA decision and for the work of Sen. Hirono in highlighting the seriousness of the CBB emergency faced by Hawaii coffee farmers.
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-Membership/Volunteers- L. Hanna, < T. Butler and ML Moss-Leaders, K.Schweickhard>
Membership Report July 2013 Board Meeting
Report of members who have renewed or joined KCFA
June 17, 2013 to July 15, 2013
Name City Voting Associate Supporting business N
Robert Rios Kailua Kona, HI X N
Viola Noyola Big Springs TX X N
Robert Jones Captain Cook, HI X N
Stephen Seta Honolulu, HI X Lifetime N
This month 2 2 4N
Total Members 334 248 48 42
After reviewing the new members, I would most appreciate the board passing a resolution to welcome our latest lifetime member. Sincerely, Louise Hanna
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-Pest & Disease- B.Smith and A. Yamane
The SHAC grant for Fungus in TMK 8-4 appears to be working well with nearly all farmers in this zone participating in the program. Hopefully we will be able to generate some useful data. Although the grant only covers 3 applications, Pepe informed me that we may be able to have enough funds to cover 4.
I had Rob Curtiss, Andrea Kawabata and Ryan Tsutsui for a farm visit on July 10th, specifically to show them the seriousness of Black Twig Borer (BTB) damage in the Honaunau area. I think that they were impressed (in a bad way) at the degree of the problem and the production loss that we are experiencing. I have been advocating for quite some time now for increased research on this pest but unfortunately CBB is taking center stage at the moment. I believe that the twig borer can be managed but we need to get a better handle on its life cycle before this can happen.
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-PR/Newsletter- A. Kelleher Chair,< T.Butler, K.Schweickhard and C.Smith>
I spoke with the General Manger of Honda about the Kona Coffee metallic Acura and CRV.
He is very open to doing a picture for us so I can do a Press Release.
However he is out of Kona coffee color CRV's and the Acura Dealer is only on Oahu.
He loves the idea so he is trying to get one from the Hilo dealership. He has none scheduled to come in August or September in Kona.
Hopefully he will get one from Hilo and call me soon.
Clare Wilson sent an update on the Coffee Stroll which I believe that most everyone received. The KCCF is giving $500 to HVA and they are getting two booths in front of Paul's Place. Mailed newsletter to everyone, etc.
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-CBB Task Force Report- D. Case
COMBINED REPORTS
CBB TASK FORCE
AND HAWAII FARMERS UNION UNITED
By: David Case (July 16, 2013)
CBB TASK FORCE
The CBB Task Force last met on May 2, 2013, where it reviewed and approved the $200,000 HDOA CBB mitigation and education contract. We received word yesterday (July 15) that HDOA had cleared the final bureaucratic hurdles and that a check for 80% of the contract ($160,000) would be sent to the Task Force in about two weeks-- about August 1st.. The Task Force has also received a request from the Kona Chapter of the Hawaii Farm Bureau to be seated as a member of the Task Force Board.
HFUU
Maui Legislative Retreat
HFUU held an “AgVance” or legislative strategy session June 22 and 23 at the Hale Akua Gardens on Mauil. Two representatives attend from each of the four Island Chapters (Kauai, Ray Maki and Don Heacock; Oahu, Shawn Leavey and Michelle Matson; Maui, Vincent Mina and Simon Russell, and Hawaii, David Case and Steve Sakala) plus Reps Nicole Lowen from Hawaii and Mele Carroll from Maui. The session focused on what might be done in the 2014 Legislature to promote organic and other natural, sustainable agricultural practices. Shawn Leavey was appointed to fill the Oahu vacancy on the HFUU Board and has also committed to be the lobbyist for HFUU and KCFA at a fixed cost of $5,000 for all work during the January to May 2014 legislative session. It is anticipated that HFUU and KCFA would split the cost.
Bill 79—Restricting GMO Crops
The testimony on Margaret Willie’s Bill 79 to restrict GMO crops in Hawaii County lasted two days! Some 250 people testified from throughout the county 10 to 1 in favor of restricting GMO crops. It was said to be the longest hearing the county council ever had. Everybody turned out-- aunties, uncles, kids, farmers, business owners, scientists, gardeners, and mothers the list goes on. The testimony was articulate, informative, often passionate and always respectful. It was great to be a part of it.
The Committee on Health and Public Safety (Brenda Ford is the Chair) will hold a final hearing on July 30 in Kona to debate Margaret Wille’s amended version of the Bill. There will be no further testimony until it comes up for a council vote in August or sometime after that. The HFUU Kona Chapter plans to get a letter out to all our members to contact their council representative (Dru Kanuha for North Kona) to support the bill. The Kona Chapter requests that KCFA join in that effort.
Hawaii Islands Organic Summit
HFUU and HOFA have met with the Hilton Waikaloa and King Kamheameha I Hotels and reviewed proposals to hold the Summit at either of those venues in October. Further planning is on hold pending decisions on possible funding.
Farm Meeting in August
We are planning for the next Kona Chapter membership meeting to be a potluck and food sharing to be held at Diane Heinlien’s farm sometime in August. This would be the first of a “Maui Style” membership meeting and program for the Kona Chapter members. To get an idea of what that’s like go to the Maui Farmers Union website: hawaiifarmersunionunited.weebly.com .
Meeting Adjourned: 5:30 PM
Minutes by secretary: T. Butler
