The Independent Voice “Best Agricultural Newsletter in Hawaii” Newsletter of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association
July 2024
PO Box 5436 Kailua Kona Hawaii 96745 USA www.konacoffeefarmers.orginfo@konacoffeefarmers.org Contents
Message from President Petersen
Help Fight Mislabeling of Hawai’i Coffee
Regenerative Agriculture Doesn’t Replace Organic
Next Farmers’ Social Gathering
Texas A&M Launches Nation’s First Academic Coffee Certificate
CBB/CLR Subsidy Program
Fertilizer Workshop Held on June 26
FigBrew – Beanless Brew replacement
Joke
Drinking Coffee Jumpstarts the Brain
Review Calls for Standardization in Coffee Life Cycle Assessments
Mark Twain Wrote in 1866
Coffee Roasting Waste – High Value Food Ingredient
European Consumers Prioritize Packaging
Neutral El Niño
Farmer to Farmer on Facebook
Recipe: Puna’s Mango Chutney Editor – Clare Wilson
Double Rainbow at Kona Sunset Coffee Farm
Message from President Petersen
Aloha Coffee Farmers,
My farm has been getting rain. I hope yours is getting the ideal amount. KCFA provided a Soil and Leaf workshop on Wednesday at a farm near Holualoa . Seventeen farmers and 3
researchers took part as they learned about soil and tree tissue analysis and how to apply that information with an Excel spreadsheet to manage tree nutrition. If you missed the workshop there may be another in south Kona after a farm is found to hold the workshop.
Stay alert for future notices about this valuable workshop.
In addition, your events committee has planned a farmer gathering like those we held in 2023. It will be held on July 24th at Kahaluu Beach Park. More information is in the announcement in this newsletter.
Recently several press releases suggest that the Hawaii Department of Agriculture may be
challenged to enforce the rules in the new coffee labeling bill BH 2298, which will be effective July 1. The HDOA is asking for citizens to help with enforcement. Please read the article in this newsletter for more information about this situation.
In service to Kona coffee,
Mahalo nui loa!
The Hawaii Department of Agriculture needs our help. A new Hawai‘i coffee labeling law will go into effect on July 1, 2024, which will require more transparency in the labeling of Hawai‘i-grown coffee that is blended with coffee from elsewhere.
The Department of Agriculture news release (see above link) asks for the public to report possible mislabeling.
“Unfortunately, the law did not provide for additional inspection staff so enforcement of the new law will be a challenge given the other statutory responsibilities of the branch,” said Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture. However, the department will increase inspection of retail shelves statewide and may have to rely on complaint-driven enforcement for the immediate future.”
The law requires that all coffee products carrying a Hawai‘i geographical reference must “include the disclosure of the location where the coffee was grown in the state, and also indicate the percentage by weight of coffee grown elsewhere.”
The front label identity statement for Hawai‘i coffee beans, roasted coffee and instant coffee blended with beans from other areas will require disclosure of the location source and weight percentage for all coffee beans contained in the product. Percentage weight of foreign coffee content may be aggregated. e.g.: “10% Kona coffee blend and contains 90% foreign-grown coffee”.
Ready-to-drink coffee beverages shall be required to list the coffee origin and percentage information.
Single-serve and bulk coffee packaging shall be required to list coffee origin and percentage information.
Origin and percentage information shall be displayed on the front label in a font size at least half of the font size of the identity statement.
For retail information and to report possible mislabeling or non-compliance, email the HDOA’s Measurement Standards Branch: hdoa.ms.labeling@hawaii.gov or call (808) 832-0690.”
To report possible mislabeling or non-compliance, email the HDOA’s Measurement Standards Branch with a photo at: hdoa.ms.labeling@hawaii.gov(mailto:hdoa.ms.labeling@hawaii.gov)
“Regenerative Agriculture Doesn’t Replace Organic
Regenerative agriculture is gathering speed in the coffee sector
However, only 19% of people surveyed know about it — compared to 59% who know the organic label
Regenerative agriculture is more of a holistic approach than a certification
“REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE is on a fast track to becoming another sustainability buzzword. Like organic, the regenerative label promises consumers a commitment to environmental protection.
Whilst regenerative practices focus on a holistic approach and soil health, organic agriculture has specific goals to refrain from using any synthetic chemicals.
Unlike the arguably straightforward and well-defined concept of organic certification, regenerative agriculture is more of an umbrella term that pertains to crops (including coffee), livestock, and a combination of sustainable agriculture techniques. This makes it difficult to evaluate with concrete, quantitative indicators.
The term was first mentioned in the 1980s, by the Rodale Institute, and it referred to the practice of farming with care directed towards soil health and regenerating soil nutrients, whilst also taking into consideration animal and worker welfare.
Today, we’re seeing it splashed everywhere. It has now become a vague, broad term, with some attempts to formalise it through certification, and – inevitably – some associated greenwashing…”
Next Farmers’ Social Gathering
Mark your calendars! The next Kona Coffee Farmers Association gathering will be on July 24th at the Kahaluu Pavilion at Kahalu’u Beach Park on Ali‘i Drive from 4 PM to 7 PM. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow coffee farmers and supporters.
KCFA invites both members and non-members to join us for an afternoon of fellowship with like-minded friends. Please bring a dish to share and refreshments for yourself.
We also encourage KCFA members to spread the word and reach out to other farmers who may not know about KCFA and the many benefits of being a member. Let’s come together and grow our community! Franck Carisey
+1-858-335-7703
_______________________________________________________________________ Texas A&M Launches Nation’s First Academic Coffee Certificate https://tinyurl.com/27be3hm6
COLLEGE STATION, Texas, USA – Texas A&M University is now home to the nation’s first academic coffee certificate. This announcement comes as coffee’s popularity has skyrocketed across the nation, increasing demand for graduates skilled in coffee-related disciplines, writes Paul Schattenberg, Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing and Communications, in an article on Teas A&M Today.
“There is an increasing demand for high-quality coffee that will require expertise in all aspects of production and marketing,” said Texas A&M Center for Coffee Research and Education director Dr. Roger Norton.
CBB-CLR Subsidy Program
Aloha Coffee Farmers,
The CBB-CLR Pesticide Subsidy Program for Fiscal Year 2023-24 is now closed. If you completed an application, you should receive your check in coming months.
Act 216 creates this program through 6/30/26 (reimbursing receipts through 6/30/25). Please save your receipts. A list of eligible products are listed here: Approved CBB-CLR Product List. The Fiscal Year 2024-25 Program should open 7/1/24 and reimburse at the 75% rate, receipts from 7/1/23- 6/30/24 (pending funding).
To get your email or phone on a notification list for when the program is ready, please email Melanie Bondera at hdoa.cbb@hawaii.gov or call (808) 323-7578.
Melanie Bondera
CBB-CLR Subsidy Program
Hawaii Department of Agriculture
Phone: 808-323-7578
Fertilizer Workshop Held on June 26, 2024
Seventeen farmers and 3 researchers gathered at the Martin Ohana Farm in North Kona to learn about soil and leaf analysis and how to apply that data to a spreadsheet which then provides information on which nutrients are needed and how frequently to apply them. It was a great workshop with a lot of information for the coffee farmers. Thanks to Nick Jordan from Simplot for the presentation. For those of you who missed this workshop, we are trying to schedule a repeat in South Kona.
Look for other farmer-to-farmer events, coming soon.
_____________________________________________________________________ FigBrew and Their Beanless Brew Replacement (ed. note) https://www.comunicaffe.com/figbrew-saves-12000-coffee-trees-with-their-beanless-brew/
“HUNTSVILLE, Alabama– FigBrew recently announced that their beanless coffee replacement sales to date have offset the output of over 12,000 coffee trees while saving over 147,000-kg of carbon and over 740,000-gals of water compared to traditional coffee. Their product lines are based on a single-ingredient coffee alternative made from roasted fig and a 50/50 blend of premium coffee and roasted fig both introduced over three years ago in 2020 and most recently receiving rave reviews at the Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago in April 2024.
With 1/8th the water footprint and 1/13th the carbon footprint in a cradle-to-grave analysis with traditional coffee, FigBrew products demonstrate that great taste is not a barrier to sustainability. And being made from upcycled organic figs, they’re also not a barrier to price relief for squeezed consumers…”
“New research suggests that it is the experience of drinking coffee, not solely the caffeine bump, that gives people a boost in alertness and efficiency.
Hypothesizing that the “essential morning coffee” enjoyed by billions of people worldwide may be a placebo, the researchers conducted MRIs on coffee-drinking subjects to test functional brain activity.
The Portugal-based research team asked subjects to abstain from coffee or caffeine consumption prior to the MRIs. One group of participants was given caffeine in simple chemical form while the other group was given a caffeinated cup of coffee, similar to what drinkers might actually experience on a daily basis. Then participants were asked to relax and let their minds wander as they underwent MRI scans. The scans found that the activity in the brain’s default mode network — which is associated with introspection and self-reflection, as opposed to responding to external stimuli — decreased in both groups of participants. This suggested that either consuming caffeine or a cup of coffee “made people more prepared to move from resting to working on tasks.”
However, the MRIs showed a notable distinction between the two groups. People who drank a cup of coffee experienced increased neural connectivity in the “higher visual network” and the “right executive control network.” Those are the parts of the brain that are associated with working memory, cognitive control and goal-directed behavior…”
European Consumers Prioritise Packaging in Coffee-Purchase Decisions
“People do judge a book by its cover. Well, maybe not a book per se, but European consumers have chosen a coffee product primarily based on its ‘cover’, that is, its packaging. In fact, about 70% of European shoppers have, at least sometimes, based their coffee choices solely on packaging according to a new study.
Amcor, a Zurich, Switzerland-based packaging solutions company conducted a study on European consumers’ preferences and the factors shaping their coffee purchasing decisions. Their research reveals that European coffee consumers prioritise taste, aroma, brand, and price when selecting coffee.
Approximately, 70% of respondents consider brand trust to be ‘very important’ in their purchasing decisions. Additionally, packaging size and convenience are essential factors. Country-specific preferences indicate that UK respondents are particularly sensitive to the ‘premium aspect’ of coffee packaging, with 52% rating this criterion as ‘very important’…”
Scientific Review Calls for Standardization in Coffee Life Cycle Assessments
https://tinyurl.com/pbcpn9yv
A new systematic review of 34 previous studies on the environmental impact of green coffee production from seed to cup calls for more consistent methodologies, more detailed reporting and increased transparency among researchers.
Mark Twain Wrote in 1866
“I think the Kona coffee has a richer flavor than any other, be it grown where it may and call it by what name you please. At one time it was cultivated quite extensively, and promised to become one of the great staples of Hawaiian commerce; but the heaviest crop ever raised was almost entirely destroyed by a blight, and this, together with heavy American customs duties, had the effect of suddenly checking enterprise in this direction. For several years the coffee growers fought the blight with all manner of cures and preventives, but with small success, and at length some of the less persevering abandoned coffee growing altogether and turned their attention to more encouraging pursuits. The coffee interest has not yet recovered its former importance but is improving slowly.”
Farmer to Farmer on FaceBook
KCFA members may ask coffee production, processing, or marketing questions by sending their questions to social@konacoffeefarmers.org. The questions will be posted on the KCFA Facebook page. Anyone can then comment on the post and provide their answers or ask followups to the questions. What, you don’t follow our Facebook page?! Check it out here
Let’s all help each other!
Recipe: From Cecelia Smith PUNA’S MANGO CHUTNEY RECIPE (Puna Walker & Belle Klebahn’s)
13 pounds sliced half-ripe “common” mangoes
6T Hawaiian salt
4T finely chopped garlic
6T finely chopped ginger
2 qt. white vinegar
13 pounds sugar – half white & half brown
1-pound currants
3 pounds seedless golden raisins
4T small red Hawaiian chili peppers – seed and mince
Slice mangoes thin and in long strips. Put salt on the sliced mangoes and let stand in icebox overnight. Cook garlic and ginger in a little water and put in icebox.
In the morning, drain liquid from mangoes. Bring vinegar and sugar to a boil – add raisins, currants, garlic, and ginger and boil one hour. Then add drained mangoes and chili peppers and cook until mangoes are clear.
NEED: 30-40 Eight-ounce Mason Jars. Put in when chutney and jars are hot and cover immediately. Store in cool dark place for several months.
HINTS: “Common” mangoes are the best. Slice them thinly. Cooking up chutney, especially a double batch, takes almost all day. We gather and peel the mangoes one day and then cook the next.
**Editor’s note: Jars should be sterilized (hot) when chutney is added.
Recipes Wanted! If any of you have recipes that you would like to share, please submit them to the editor: clarewilson98@gmail.com LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! >> Write to us. We welcome Letters to the Editor up to 150 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Include your name and email address >> Email:info@KonaCoffeeFarmers.orgwith SUBJECT: Commentary. Suggestion Box
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