The Independent Voice
“Best Agricultural Newsletter in Hawaii”
Kona Coffee Farmers Association
March 2025
PO Box 5436 Kailua Kona Hawaii 96745 USA
www.konacoffeefarmers.org
Contents
Message from President Petersen
KCFA 2025 Symposium
Kona Coffee Industry Hit By Funding Freeze and USDA Layoffs
Research Project on Effect of Physical Deficits in Green Coffee Beans
Bloomberg on Fertilizer Tariffs
The Controversy over Co-Fermentation of Coffee
Coffee-related Research and Management Update-Webinar
Study:Medium Roast Coffee contains more Caffeine than Dark Roast
Why Roasters Shouldn’t Buy Coffee Farms
What Color is your Coffee?
Study: Coffee Reduces Type 2 Diabetes Risk, But Sweeteners Mess Things Up
Global Coffee Production in 2024, by Country
Brazil’s Coffee Industry Raises Alarm over Fake Coffee
Occasional Invasive Pest Mini-Conference- Webinar
Study: Coffee Linked to Improved Cognitive Function in AFib Patients
Recipe: Beefy Sweet Potato Soup
Editor – Clare Wilson
MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT PETERSEN
Aloha Coffee Farmers,
I am delighted to report on the successful Coffee Farmers Symposium held on Tuesday, February 25. The event was fun, educational, and inspiring, with over 150 attendees, mostly farmers. The atmosphere was festive and interactive, with a nice outside lunch setting that added to the overall enjoyment of the day.
We were honored to have 10 distinguished speakers, including island, state, and federal elected representatives, scientists, farmers, and coffee industry experts. Their insights and expertise provided valuable information and sparked engaging discussions among the participants. The speakers included:
• Hawaii Island Mayor, Alameda: He started off the symposium and highlighted his goals.
• Local Farmer Kraig Lee. Discussed innovative fermentation approaches and the reappearance of Kona Coffee as a top 10 specialty coffee on the world coffee scene.
• Composting System Expert: This speaker described a composting system to enhance fungal populations for better soil health and how to receive funding to start.
• Local Coffee Market Update: Experts provided an update on the current state of the local coffee market.
• PBARC Research Laboratory: A summary presentation about the latest research accomplished by the PBARC research laboratory concerning Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) and other research results.
A feature of the symposium was the unveiling of our new tagline, “Pure Kona”. This tagline was displayed on our t-shirts and hoodies that were available for purchase. This new branding initiative was well-received and added a sense of unity and pride among the attendees.
We also held our annual meeting after the symposium, where we celebrated the completion of Franck Carisey’s term as a director. Franck has been instrumental in starting the Coffee Farmer gatherings at Kahaluu State Park and organizing the Coffee and Art Stroll booth during the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. His cheerful outlook and dedication have been invaluable to our community. Thank you, Franck!
We are also excited to welcome Ed Malinowski as a new board member. We look forward to working with Ed and benefiting from his insights and contributions. Please congratulate Ed when you see him. The other 10 members of the board either have 1 or 2 years remaining of their terms or as incumbents will continue for another 3 years.
We expect to post the slides from the speakers on our website sometime early in March. We encourage you to review them and share your thoughts with us about the Symposium. If you have any comments or suggestions for future symposiums, please email us at (click>>:info@
Tentatively, looking ahead, we hold our next symposium in the last week of February 2026. We hope to see even more of you there and continue building on the effectiveness of this year’s event.
Thank you for your continued support and dedication to the Kona Coffee Farmers Association and I hope your post-harvest practices are going well. This is your Kona Coffee Farmers Association.
PURE KONA,
Mahalo nui loa!
Mark Petersen
KCFA 2025 Symposium
Thanks to all who joined us at our KCFA Coffee Symposium 2025. We’d like to give another big shoutout to our Diamond Sponsors: The Hawaii Department of Ag’s Market Development Branch, the Hawaii Coffee Association, and SHAC.
For your reference, here are the PDF versions of the presentations from our speakers at our Symposium.
https://konacoffeefarmers.org/
https://www.hawaiipublicradio.
HPR’s Savannah Harriman-Pote reports from Hawaiʻi Island.
Invasive species and introduced diseases have transformed farming in the famed Kona coffee region. Now the Trump administration is pulling federal support for research into solutions.
The Kona Coffee Farmers Association held its annual symposium Tuesday on Hawaiʻi Island. The coffee was delicious, per usual, but the day’s agenda was a stark reminder of the many hurdles facing local farmers who grow the beans for Kona’s beloved brews.
That list includes invasive species, climate change, and now uncertainty over federal support for the famed Kona coffee region.
Coffee farmer Suzanne Shriner said the conditions for growing coffee today are a far cry from what they were when she got her start in Kona 20 years ago.
“It used to be very easy. We didn’t have many pests or diseases,” she said. “Now, there’s a lot more challenges.”
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RESEARCH PROJECT ON EFFECT OF PHYSICAL DEFECTS IN GREEN COFFEE BEANS
https://www.comunicaffe.com/
“We want to understand how many green coffee beans of a physical defect have an actual perceptible effect on the cup,” says Sebastian Opitz, Head of Green Coffee and project manager at the CEC, “Based on sensory data that we will obtain from a larger group of cuppers and laypeople, we hope that we will eventually be able to estimate the sensory thresholds for the different defects”
“MILAN, Italy — The Coffee Science Foundation (CSF) and Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) have launched a new research project exploring the impact of physical defects in green coffee on sensory attributes, aroma formation, and green bean composition. This project, led by researchers at the Coffee Excellence Center at ZHAW, aims to revisit and evaluate relevant defects detailed in the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Green Coffee Classification System (GCCS) and the new Coffee Value Assessment (CVA). Though the SCA’s Green Coffee Classification System and other coffee classification systems have existed for more than a century, this is the first research project seeking to provide robust scientific evidence to inform a green coffee standard.
“Current standards are based on tradition, not science”, says Peter Giuliano, Executive Director of the Coffee Science Foundation, “We’re excited to have the opportunity to change that.”…”
Bloomberg on Fertilizer Tariffs
Bloomberg News reports that US farmers would bear the cost of tariffs on imported Canadian fertilizers should President Donald Trump’s levies take effect, according to top supplier Nutrien Ltd.
“The tariff costs and tariff impact will be passed on,” Chief Executive Officer Ken Seitz said in a conference call with analysts. “It is going to mean rising costs for the US grower.”
THE CONTROVERSY OVER CO-FERMENTATION OF COFFEE
https://coffeetalk.com/daily-
“…However, co-fermentation has stirred controversy, with some industry veterans, like George Howell, perceiving it as a regression into flavored coffees that compromise the genuine taste of coffee. Howell describes it as a return to practices that seem designed to enhance scores in competitions rather than celebrate coffee’s natural qualities.
At prestigious competitions, such as the Best of Panama tasting, coffees processed via co-fermentation have faced disqualification, likening the practice to doping in sports. Despite this, many producers embrace co-fermentation as a way to create distinctive flavors that intrigue consumers. From passionfruit to cinnamon, co-fermented coffees continue to emerge as a niche segment in the expanding coffee market.
As coffee processing methods evolve, the scope of experimentation has expanded beyond traditional methods. Producers are increasingly utilizing intricate techniques such as anaerobic fermentation and carbonic maceration, which play with microbial interactions to develop bold flavor notes. Roasters like Push x Pull in Portland showcase this trend, offering innovative products that entertain the palates of adventurous coffee drinkers….”
from CTAHR webinair
STUDY: MEDIUM ROAST COFFEE CONTAINS MORE CAFFEINE THAN
(not) DARK ROAST
https://www.comunicaffe.com/
“MILAN – Some researchers believe to have identified the ideal combinations of flavour and caffeine contained in the perfect cup of coffee. “Over 20 years ago, I heard a barista claim that dark roasts have more caffeine, but a decade later, I was exposed to the contrasting idea that light roasts were the king of caffeine. Yet, I couldn’t find any convincing data,” explains Zachary Lindsey, an assistant professor of physics at Georgia’s Berry College, as reported in Popular Science.
Zachary Lindsey’s team analyzed the relationship between coffee beans’ chemical properties though different roasting and brewing scenarios. The team focused on natural and washed processed Ethiopian beans.
“When selecting a brew method, the main goal was to implement a procedure that could consistently produce brews within a wide range of extraction yields by only varying the brew time,” continues Lindsey.
The results offered insight at 30 unique coffee combinations on microscopic levels. The team used high-performance liquid chromatography to assess molecular makeup. The study came to the conclusion that light and medium roasts have more levels of caffeine than darker variants on average.
However, darker roast have higher caffeine levels when porosity and extractions yields were uniform across varieties. In conclusion, in order to have more caffeine during the day it is preferable to consume a medium roast blend.””
Why Roasters Shouldn’t Buy Coffee Farms
https://tinyurl.com/2mxyjr35
- “Major roasters have tried – and failed – to become coffee farmers
- Green coffee export value accounts for less than 10% of the US$250 billion of revenues generated in coffee retail
- Soaring costs, climate risks, and cultural gaps make coffee farming a losing bet for new entrants
In recent years, a growing number of coffee roasters – ranging from small artisanal operations to multinational corporations – have ventured into owning coffee farms.
The allure is understandable: controlling production from bean to cup, ensuring ethical sourcing, and differentiating their brand with exclusive farm-direct offerings.
The idea of a roastery operating its own farm conjures an image of a harmonious, vertically integrated business that delivers superior quality and sustainability while bypassing middlemen. The reality, however, is far more complicated.
Consider Press Coffee, a respected specialty coffee brand in the U.S., which announced its acquisition of a coffee farm in Panama in 2024, promising “unique flavours” for its Phoenix customers. Their goal mirrors the aspirations of many in the industry: securing exclusive supply chains, marketing single-origin transparency, and embedding sustainability into their business model.
“I think what motivates coffee roasters to buy farms is because they want to be so involved in something that they love,” says Nico Herr, Chief Operations Officer at Mountain Harvest Coffee.
“But I think that to love something well, you have to know it well and know what you hurt and what you don’t hurt. There’s a lot of conversation about what green coffee identity is. I think ultimately those who are literally tied to the soil should be answering that. Because coffee is also culture.”
At trade events like the Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF), this topic frequently arises, as more coffee companies explore the possibility of farm ownership.
Even large players have embraced this trend. Starbucks has operated its Hacienda Alsacia farm in Costa Rica since 2013, touting it as a research and development hub. In Colombia, Green Coffee Company (GCC), which is based in the US, owns 14 coffee farms and claims to be the “world’s largest arabica producer.” Although its mission is to help rejuvenate ailing plots, it has also been accused of removing diversity in place of a homogenous, albeit well-functioning, portfolio of farms.
“In a bid to consolidate and streamline production geared toward improving productivity and hence driving up profits, some coffee roasters are buying coffee farms in producing regions,” says Denis Twinamatsiko, Founder and CEO of Now Africa Initiative.
“However, as a farmer, I am critical of this because land ownership is our lifeline as producers. When farmers are pushed off land by big money spenders, the end result hasn’t been good and we have witnessed this in both agricultural projects as well as big infrastructure projects where people are ejected from their land. They end up being stranded even after the so-called ‘full compensation.’ Our land is our heritage!”
On paper, the benefits appear undeniable: exclusive control, improved margins, and deeper brand storytelling that avoids dubious “farm washing” marketing practices.
Yet, despite these theoretical advantages, coffee farming remains a perilous venture – one that coffee roasters, no matter their size, may be better off avoiding, both for risk and heritage reasons…”
______________________________
WHAT COLOR IS YOUR COFFEE?
The new roast color standards for the coffee industry
by Peter Giuliano
https://www.comunicaffe.com/
It is important to establish clear standards for the coffee industry. When purchasing coffee, consumers often consider the roast level as a primary factor. If roasters mislabel their coffee or if consumers are unsure about their preferences, it can result in lost sales for the roasters. Some consumers might be convinced, for example, that they don’t like “light roasts” because they tasted something once that was so labeled but was much darker than the average light roast (or vice versa!). Within the coffee industry, a lack of clear standards also complicates quality control, hindering communication between vendors and partners
“…The goal of any researcher is to investigate a topic that has maximum relevance to the real world, standing to benefit people in their daily lives. Over the years, when researching the preferences of specialty coffee consumers, one thing stood out: “roast level” is a key piece of information that coffee lovers use to make choices about which coffee they buy….
This raises the question of how the industry currently assesses the color and corresponding roast level of their coffee. For years, the de facto standard for the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) has involved equipment like Agtron™ analyzers, which use proprietary technology to yield a number ranging from 100 for very lightly roasted coffee to 20 for very darkly roasted coffee. Consumers have no idea what these numbers mean, however, and more importantly, not everyone in the coffee industry can afford this equipment. According to a survey we conducted at the Roasters Guild Retreat in 2023, half of the specialty coffee roasters in attendance described the roast level of their beans “simply by looking at them.”…”
STUDY: COFFEE REDUCES TYPE 2 DIABETES RISK, BUT SWEETENERS MESS THINGS UP
https://tinyurl.com/yb7xmw7b
“A major new study found that drinking coffee is consistently linked to a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D), although the protective effect is substantially weakened with the addition of sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Led by a team of researchers affiliated with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the study explored data from three major United States cohorts: the Nurses’ Health Study; the Nurses’ Health Study II; and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
The research spanned more than 3.6 million “person-years” in follow-ups, with more than 13,000 cases of T2D identified. All of the coffee consumption in each of those long-term studies was self-reported.
According to the findings, each additional cup of coffee consumed per day without any additives was associated with a 10% lower risk of T2D. For example, someone who drank three cups of coffee per day had a 10% lower risk of developing T2D during the follow-up period than someone who drank two cups.
The 10% risk reduction per cup held true when accounting for factors such as age, body mass index (BMI) and overall diet…”
GLOBAL COFFEE PRODUCTION IN 2024, BY COUNTRY
https://www.voronoiapp.com/
Key Takeaways
• Brazil and Vietnam account for 55% of global coffee production, with a combined output of nearly 5.8 million tonnes.
• The top 10 countries together account for 89% of global coffee production.
• Global coffee production increased by 4% from 2023 to 2024 but remains below the all-time highs reached in 2022.
• Coffee prices have doubled since the start of 2024 due to concerns about a prolonged drought in Brazil hurting supply in 2025.
• Global stockpiles of coffee are at their lowest level since 2018.
BRAZIL’S COFFEE INDUSTRY RAISES ALARM OVER FAKE COFFEE
https://coffeetalk.com/daily-
“Brazilian coffee industry is concerned about the rise in coffee prices, which are leading some companies to expand offerings of fake coffee in the local market. Brazil’s coffee roasters association, ABIC, has identified powdered products marketed as coffee but mostly not made with the bean. These powders could contain coffee waste, vegetable pulp, and artificial coffee flavoring. Coffee prices in Brazil have risen more than 50% in the last three months, with global prices hitting all-time highs due to limited supplies following weather woes in producing countries. ABIC has reached out to Brazilian health agencies and the Agriculture Ministry to ask if such products are being sold legally. One such product is called Oficial do Brasil, which is similar to roast and ground brands sold locally, displaying a picture of a hot cup of coffee. The description on the package reads, “traditional coffee flavor beverage.” In smaller letters lower down, it says, “artificial coffee flavor.” Master Blends, the company that produces Oficial do Brasil, said it never said it was coffee and that the product is government-approved.
Currently, such products sell in Brazil for around one-third of the price of regular coffee. The Brazilian food and drug regulator, Anvisa, did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the product’s approval status.”
from CTAHR Webinair
STUDY: COFFEE LINKED TO IMPROVED COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
https://tinyurl.com/2np6t2va
“A new study highlights the potential cognitive benefits of regular coffee consumption for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), a common heart arrhythmia that significantly increases the risk of stroke, cognitive impairment and dementia.
The research, involving more than 2,400 participants, found a dose-dependent association between daily coffee intake and enhanced cognitive performance, with as little as one cup a day shown to increase performance.
Patients consuming more than five cups per day demonstrated the highest cognitive scores, equating to a reduction in “cognitive age” by 6.7 years, based on standardized tests like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), according to the study….”
______________________________
Beefy Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 pounds beef sirloin tip roast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
2 cups finely chopped sweet onion
2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian stewed tomatoes, undrained
3 fresh thyme sprigs
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 carton (32 ounces) beef broth
4 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups (about 10 ounces) frozen corn
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons strong brewed coffee
Additional salt and pepper, optional
Directions
In a Dutch oven or stockpot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper; brown in batches, adding oil as needed. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add onion and sweet potatoes to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and light golden brown.
Recipes Wanted! If any of you have recipes that you can 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.org with SUBJECT: Commentary.
Suggestion Box
Let us know what you would like to see in our newsletter. Suggestions on what to include or not. What could we do better. Let us know. Clarewilson98@gmail.com
