The Independent Voice
“Best Agricultural Newsletter in Hawaii”
Newsletter of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association
May 2025
PO Box 5436 Kailua Kona Hawaii 96745 USA
www.konacoffeefarmers.org info@konacoffeefarmers.org
Contents
Message from President Petersen
Successful Legislative Season Winds
US Daily Coffee Consumption Hits 20 Year High
Coffee Consumption of the Average American in a Single Image
Holualoa Coffee Mill
Congressional Coffee Caucus to Promote Coffee Industry
Study Suggests How Color “Should” be Used to Market Specialty Coffees
Hawai’i Farmers and Ranchers Face $46 Million in Federal Funding Cuts
KCFA Members “Did You Know?”
How a Forgotten Bean Could Save Coffee from Extinction
Status of Reimbursement Applications for CBB/CLR Treatment Subsidies
Ka’u Coffee Festival: May 25 – May 31
HCA Coffee Cupping Competition Deadline Extended
La Nina is Dead – What to Expect Now
Editor – Clare Wilson
Message from President Petersen
Times remain dynamic in the coffee industry, don’t they? We are keeping an eye on potential tariffs affecting Kona coffee exports to Asia, Canada, and other destinations. As of now, the outcome is still uncertain. Meanwhile, the State’s legislative session is nearing its conclusion. One proposal under consideration could impact us directly: a monetary penalty for mislabeled coffee packaging that misrepresents its origin.
On another note, there’s concern about the future of our Kealakekua NRCS office, which may face lease discontinuation. If this occurs, we risk losing our local office, and some employees have reportedly resigned. External influences are shaping up to be impactful to our farms.
I want to take this opportunity to express my honest thanks for being a valued member of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association (KCFA). It’s vital for farmers, processors, roasters, and retailers to collaborate in nurturing a vibrant Kona coffee industry. Your dedication and continued support are essential to preserving the authenticity and excellence of Kona coffee.
I hope your coffee management is thriving.
PURE KONA,
Mahalo nui loa!
Mark Petersen, KCFA President
Successful Legislative Season Winds Down
The last days of Hawaii’s legislative year is upon us and KCFA expects to see two important coffee bills pass over to the Governor’s desk.
After several years of trying, we happy to report that HB1291, which adds “roasted coffee” to the statutory language on false labeling, passed out of Conference Committee and is expected to pass a floor vote. This closes the loophole that allowed non-Kona beans to be roasted in the district, labeled as Kona on shipment, and bypass any legal oversight. Known bad actors were exploiting this loophole, and this bill gives the Attorney General’s Office the authority to go after them. Rep. Kahaloa successfully fought to include fines of $7,500 per incidence, which indicates a new and welcome level of gravity around agricultural fraud.
The Legislature also voted to add funding for an additional CTAHR coffee and orchard crops Extension Agent position through Sen Kanuha’s SB865. This is a significant upgrade from the support position that was originally requested in the bill as an Agent can do field visits and make crop improvement recommendations. As the coffee industry continues to grow and expand in all regions, more field assistance will be a welcome addition to the CTAHR team.
Report: Daily US Coffee Consumption Hits 20 Year High
https://tinyurl.com/5fkb8m7u
“Daily coffee consumption is up to a 20-year high among United States adults, with more than two thirds (67%) of people saying they drank coffee within the past day, according to the latest report from the National Coffee Association.
Ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee has jumped to number three on the list of top coffee preparations used within the past day, behind automatic drip and single-cup brewers, and ahead of espresso machines.
The NCA’s semiannual National Coffee Data Trends (NCDT) report came on the eve of the largest gathering of coffee professionals ever expected in the United States, the annual Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago, hosted by a separate coffee trade organization, the Specialty Coffee Association.
Coffee Consumption of the Average American in a Single Image
“Each year, the average American coffee drinker consumes 116 gallons of coffee—a daily ritual with a surprisingly vast ecological footprint, stretching from tropical farms to trendy coffee shops across the U.S.
Takeaways
This annual habit demands beans from 33 coffee trees, each cultivated through months of labor and care—reminding us that coffee isn’t just harvested, it’s grown with patience.- To sustain this consumption, these trees require 15,660 gallons of water per person per year—a volume equal to filling a large swimming pool just for one individual’s coffee needs.”
This annual habit demands beans from 33 coffee trees, each cultivated through months of labor and care—reminding us that coffee isn’t just harvested, it’s grown with patience.
To sustain this consumption, these trees require 15,660 gallons of water per person per year—a volume equal to filling a large swimming pool just for one individual’s coffee needs.”Holualoa Coffee Mill
We are all saddened by Jacen’s death. He would want us to know that the mill remains
open for parchment services. Ben will be continuing the traditional schedule of a
summer maintenance closure from June 1 through September 1.
US Congressional Coffee Caucus to Promote Coffee Industry
https://tinyurl.com/n5d49sun
“U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda (D-HI) and William Timmons (R-SC) yesterday launched the Congressional Coffee Caucus, a first-of-its-kind caucus supporting the coffee industry.
The Congressional Caucus, which has been months in the making, comes as the coffee industry is facing an unprecedented threat of higher prices due to the United States’ own tariffs on foreign goods.
Hawaii and Puerto Rico, the U.S. regions in which coffee is grown on a commercial scale, represent less than one-half of 1% of the world’s green coffee production, meaning the coffee industry is almost entirely reliant on imports of green coffee beans. Last week, President Donald Trump’s sweeping “reciprocal tariffs” announcement targeted 15 of the world’s top 20 coffee-producing countries with new tariffs.
Study Suggests how Color “Should” be Used to Market Specialty Coffees
“A new study explores how the color of coffee packaging exerts a powerful influence on consumer expectations of specialty coffee.
Not only does bag color affect expectations of sensory attributes such as flavors, tastes and aromas, it also creates associations among consumers with external attributes, such as organic certification or modernity, according to the study.
Led by renowned neuroscientist and The Coffee Sensorium Founder Fabiana Carvalho, the research findings suggest practical applications for specialty coffee market actors — including producers, importers and roasters — seeking to tap into the minds of coffee buyers.
“These findings demonstrate the potential of using packaging colors strategically to align sensory and conceptual expectations with product characteristics,” the study states. “The insights are particularly relevant for the specialty coffee sector aiming to differentiate their offerings and appeal to specific consumer segments through optimized packaging design, contributing both to producers in coffee-producing countries by making their products more attractive to consumers, and to importers of specialty coffee in a highly competitive market that seeks differentiation.”
Hawai’i Farmers and Ranchers Face $46 Million in Federal Funding Cuts
https://www.civilbeat.org/?p=
“The USDA decision has led to lost jobs, confusion and a setback on climate initiatives in the agricultural sector.
At least 30 contracts with Hawaiʻi farmers and ranchers have been eliminated and up to 60 local jobs will be lost in the wake of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest round of cuts.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has axed the Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities, a $3.1 billion program she described last week as a “Biden-era climate slush fund” and “green new scam” that benefited nonprofits more than agriculture.
______________________________
KCFA Members: “Did You Know?”
We have a good supply of excellent quality KCFA logo burlap bags for sale! $5.50 per bag.
Check them out on the KCFA website:
https://konacoffeefarmers.
How a Forgotten Bean Could Save Coffee from Extinction
https://www.smithsonianmag.
An 1896 illustration of Coffea stenophylla in Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, which noted the species’ “superior flavor” and market potential.– Missouri Botanical Garden;
Status of Reimbursement Applications for CBB/CLR Treatment Subsidies
The Hawaii Department of Agriculture has processed reimbursement applications for purchases made between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. These applications are now with Hawaii County for payment to farmers.
The application period for the 2024 reimbursement cycle was open on Monday, April 7, 2025, and will close on Monday, June 30, 2025. This cycle covers purchases made between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.
HCA Coffee Cupping Competition Deadline Extended
The statewide cupping competition sponsored by Hawaii Coffee Association has been extended to Tuesday, May 7th. For details go to: https://hawaiicoffeeassoc.org/
La Niña is Dead. Here is What to Expect Now
https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/
“The short-lived reign of La Niña has come to an end.
La Niña – a natural climate pattern that can influence weather worldwide – arrived at the start of this year but had a very short and odd life.
The atmosphere first started to take on a La Niña look last fall, but the cooler than average ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean that typically mark its arrival didn’t get with the program until the end of the year. Once they finally did, they only maintained La Niña levels for a few months.
Now, neither La Niña nor its counterpart El Niño are present and a so-called neutral phase has begun, according to a new National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report. This neutral phase is forecast to last through the rest of spring, summer and into at least early fall.
Forecasters closely monitor La Niña and El Niño because they influence global weather in a way that’s largely consistent and predictable well in advance…”
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