Black Twig Borer-Background

When I first started farming Kona Coffee more than 30 years ago the Black Twig Borer (BTB) was already here.  Back then damage was barely noticeable and I considered it a minor threat. In fact, I used to tell other farmers that they didn’t have to worry about the BTB at all.  This lack of…

KCFA HDOA Beauvaria bassiana Grant Voucher Update

   Beauveria Subsidy Save your receipts!  The Hawaii Department of Agriculture CBB Subsidy Program will reimburse a percentage of the cost for Botanigard and Mycotrol products, once the application process is completed.  The program is in effect through 6/30/2020.  Farm TMK and other relevant information is required. Costs are reimbursed up to $600 per acre per year, and…

From PBARC – Significant Contributor to CBB Infestation

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR FARMERS! PBARC (Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center) has released a study on CBB in coffee raisins that is timely for our harvests, and confirms suspicions that raisins on the ground are a significant contributor in season-to-season infestation percentages. The study highlights the importance of good harvest sanitation in reducing next year’s CBB…

CBB Survey 2016 compared to 2015

FROM: H.C. “Skip” Bittenbender, Ph.D., Extension Specialist for Coffee, Kava and Cacao, Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences CTAHR- College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources ,University of Hawaii at Manoa “This year the survey was sent out by Gwen Hicks (HDOA) as part of the HDOA’s Beauvaria bassiana subsidy project. We- Andrea Kawabata, Stuart Nakamoto, Rob Curtiss,…