We will need to accept the minutes from last year at this year's Annual Meeting. Corrections may be made- if necessary- at the January 12th General Membership's Annual Meeting, next Saturday. Thanks.
KCFA ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MINUTES
Jan. 27, 2012 -OLD AIRPORT
3:05 PM call to Order
Present: Board members C. Bondera,T. Butler, ML.Moss, K. Wood, B. Corker, M.daSilva, P.Uster plus other KCFA members to total 28.
Treasurer’s Report: Since Treasurer C. Carrico was absent, a monthly report was read by Pres. Bondera. A motion to approve was made by P. Uster and seconded by M.da Silva. The monthly report was approved by the BOD. There was one nay and 4 abstaining votes. The annual report will be given at a future meeting.
2011 Annual Minutes. Read by T. Butler. Motion to approve by S. Scarr and seconded by M. Moss
Pres. Bondera — A review of highlights of the KCFA year.
As your President, I stand here after a year not to push my organic farm in Honaunau, not to tell you about my reliance on INTEGRITY, instead of focusing on money first, and not to go on about how my background in international community development makes me know full well that I cannot see a group of people move positively forward unless all parties are listened to, instead of focusing energy on only the established voices of existing power. Kona coffee farmers are a community in many ways and we must work together and listen to each other! For this reason I brought the members of the Board of Directors together in a mini-retreat with HANO (Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations) because as our young organization continues to grow we must mature with age and always be working together for the greater good of our community!
Of course we must listen to and learn from history, but more so we must ensure that all parties are given a voice and are listened to with equality! This last year I was able to see the new HDOA respond to the issue of beauvaria bassiana & CBB when raised by many voices, and see Safeway react to our inquiries regarding Kona blends with uncertainty which we followed with a boycott due to the delay, and folks watching in CA respond to the questions raised with a consumer lawsuit against Safeway for misleading consumers with the labeling used.
Besides the efforts with the HDOA this last year, the placement of a new coffee extension person (Andrea Kawabata) with CTAHR is offering further collaboration with the University through CTAHR, and the efforts of the Pest & Disease Committee with preparing a CBB “how to” video have also established working relations with both CTAHR and Kamehameha Schools, who holds the property titles of something like 70% of Kona coffee farmers!
Finally we take a turn for the bigger and recognize that our long efforts with American Origin Products (AOP) who is supporting and defending geographical origin products from around the country (like Idaho Potatoes, Missouri Pecans, Kona Coffee, Napa Wine, etc.) is now formed into a non profit entity named AOPA or American Origin Products Association, and the founding meeting of that group will happen this year!
Really the efforts of AOP and the book published through the oriGIn organization resulted in Kona coffee being recognized at the international level and in Italy in 2010 Kona coffee did receive the Parmigiano-Reggiano recognition award!
Going international has also meant working closely with the leaders in such efforts. KCFA became a member of the group oriGIn more than three years ago. KCFA sent myself to the most recent meeting of oriGIn in Guadalajara, Mexico, where there was opportunity to interact with people representing products and countries from all over and ultimately where I was granted the North American Vice Presidency of the geographical indications organization. The goal is to increase awareness and facilitate recognition of such products. Further, based in Geneva, Switzerland, the efforts of oriGIn are to ensure that international laws and accords reflect the necessary protection of the same.
To bring us around into this Pavillian, and to remember why we are where we are and learning from around the world that we must focus upon ourselves as a part of a whole, the time is to focus on the circumstance at hand with Kona coffee, we all must strive toward the highest QUALITY and delicate which are the parts to ensure that Kona coffee receives the protections and gets the promotion which it deserves in honor of its’ name.
That said, I did get “down” this year, and joined the call to help represent Kona coffee farmers in a male calendar, in which I am Mr Valentine, or February! Support all that Kona coffee farmers do and seek a copy of this 2012 calendar… Remember that though we are here about coffee, that there is so much more going on!
Reports from select Committee Chairs:
Legislature: B. Corker -
This the 21st year since the current 10% coffee blend labeling law was introduced and passed by the Hawaii Legislature. The original bill was amended in committee hearings at the request of blenders from the recommended minimum of 51% Kona coffee to 10% and from identifying the remaining 49% coffee to no mandated identification at all. The only significant change now advocated by the blenders will make it worse in that it will only be necessary to show "somewhere" on the package that the bag contains 10% Kona coffee. At the request of KCFA, Sen. Josh Green introduced SB2097 in the 2012 Legislative Session. This bill--which would require identification of the origin of non-Kona coffee in Kona blends--went to the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee headed by Sen. Roslyn Baker. Sen. Baker, supporting the interests of blenders over the interests of farmers, has declined to even give a hearing to the bill. Please notify Sen. Baker of your desire to advance this bill to the legislature.
Membership: M. Moss -
Membership in Feb. 2011 was 187 and today it is over 350. This year we have more associate and business members, so that is some of the reason we have almost doubled our membership. Our membership special offer of 3 years for the price of 2 will end on Jan. 31, 2012.
Education: P. Uster -
KCFA took over the Coffee Talk presentations and had a successful year. The most highly attended was the talk on CBB and lowest attendance was the talk given by the Fire Dept.
The KCFA Educ. Committee will not be continuing with heading up the, “Coffee Talk” sessions and the Extension Agent will be to busy coordinating her work with the rest of the county. The Educ. Committee will be spearheading quarterly workshops perhaps in conjunction with the extension agent.
WEBSITE: C. Smith-
*Set-up a comprehensive set of pages for CBB on site, with IPM, photos and testimony and observations. Try to keep it update.
*Handled all sorts of questions that come in to the site or refer them out
*Send out all emails as requested
*Maintain Communication with membership and the public when emails come into [email protected]
Branding Committee:
*Created a Business Member Seal to use on Supporting Business Member's coffee as opposed to our 100% Seal which is just for farmers.
*Helped create a policy stating that Kona typica is the heritage varietal of Kona Coffee
OTHER:
*Created an ad for Kona Coffee Cultural Festival magazine
*Helped set up a Board Member workshop with HANO to make the Board member's time more effective
CBB Report by Bob Smith
*Started off the year with a meeting with PBARC, HDOA. Excellent exchange of ideas and research.
*Received clearance from HDOA to use Botanigard and Mycotrol. Fastest approval process ever!
*Suzanne Shriner gave an excellent presentation on a farmer's experience with CBB at the Entomological Symposium at the Waikoloa
*Dr. Stefan Jaronski- inventor of Botanigard and Mycotrol gave an enlightening presentation and an excellent overview on using Beauvaria bassiana to control CBB
*Most significant achievement was the production of a You Tube video on IPM control methods for combating CBB. Suzanne Shriner and Melanie Bondera deserve the full credit for making this happen
Election of Board Members.
Thanks to retiring Board Members
Election Committee— Introduction of continuing Board Members.
(Bruce Corker, Colehour Bondera, Paul Uster, Clare Wilson, Christy Carrico)
Presentation of the Committee’s recommendation for 9 directors for 2012.
Presentation of the names of the Election Committee’s slate of board candidates (Mary Lou Moss, Tom Butler, Louise Hanna & Cea Smith). (Because Cea is a candidate, the President presided over the election.)
Request motion to approve the Committee's recommendation of 9 Board members. Motion made by P. Uster and seconded by B. Corker. Motion passed with one abstention. (P. Trygstad)
The Candidates were called upon to introduce themselves and their objectives for the KCFA
Nominations from the floor. Not required in the By-laws, but we have in the past asked if anyone else is interested in serving on the Board and solicited nominations
A motion was made by Mark Shultise to accept the nominations by acclamation and was seconded by Sandra Scarr. The motion carried with one nay vote. (P. Trygstad.)
NEW BUSINESS
A suggestion was placed by Sandra Scarr to purchase Botanigard ,Mycotrol and surfactant directly from the manufacturer in bulk by KCFA. She will find out about pricing for the organization. A suggestion was made from the floor that we do the same for CBB traps.
KCFA was offered a free booth for the upcoming Avocado Festival at the Outrigger hotel.
Meeting adjourned at 4:50 PM
Minutes submitted by T. Butler, Secretary
