October 2025 The Independent Voice

Contents:
Message from President Petersen
October 23, Farmer Get Together
Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Symposium
Post-Harvest Handling to Preserve Quality in Coffee
What are Hawaii Farms Growing
Are We Still Freezing Coffee?
International Coffee Day- October 1st
Invasive Pest Webinar- October 13
From Our Readers
Pest Control Principles Meet Pure Chaos in New Coffee Farm Study
Hawaii Farmers Union United (HFUU) Annual Convention
Study: Moderate Coffee Drinking May Slow Cognitive Decline in Older Adults
Help a Fellow Farmer
Survey to Detect and Prevent Invasive Bacterial Strains on Hawaii Farms & Nurseries
Slow Foods Tierra Madre Americas
Study: Caffeine May Reduce Effectiveness of Some Bacterial Antibiotics
How Coffee Impacts Your Energy Level
Study: Coffee Drinking Linked to Healthy Aging & Longevity in Women
Editor – Clare Wilson

Message from President Petersen
Aloha Coffee Farmers,
We are in the heart of harvest season, and I am pleased to report that picking on my farm is going better than in 2024—a welcome surprise. I hope your season is also off to a strong start too. As we collect our coffee, we enter another kind of season: the political one. With the general election approaching November 3 and the legislative session beginning January 14, your Association will continue its role as a strong advocate for the interests of Kona coffee farmers.

KCFA’s advocacy on behalf of coffee farmers takes shape through five key activities:

• Advocacy to influence policies that directly affect Kona coffee farming.
• Public Awareness campaigns to highlight the importance of coffee to Hawai‘i’s economy and personal well-being.
• Policy Coordination to represent farmers’ voices to decision-makers to develop and promote effective legislation.
• Community Engagement to ensure our farmers and their communities are heard and supported.
• Resource Sharing to collaborate with allied organizations and government officials for greater impact.

Importantly, KCFA does not endorse political candidates or parties. Our focus remains on issues, not individuals. Given our limited resources, we prioritize legislative initiatives that most directly affect Kona coffee farmers. From time to time, we will reach out to members to submit testimony in support of these efforts. It is important to make strong shows when we ask for your support.

Within our Association, it is vital that we maintain a spirit of collegiality and mutual respect among members. Differences in opinion are natural, especially in a diverse and enthusiastic community like ours. But our strength lies in unity, working together toward shared goals and keeping our focus on the policies that matter most to our farms and our future. You have an open invitation to join board meetings where you can share your ideas with the board on matters important to you.

PURE KONA
Mahalo nui loa!

Mark Petersen, KCFA President

October 23, Thursday- Farmer Get Together and You Are Invited!

Aloha Farmer Friends!

It’s time to get together, share a meal and Talk Story. Put October 23rd at 5 PM on your calendar. Christine and Manny at Buddha’s Cup in mauka Kona have graciously offered their new deck for our gathering.

KCFA will provide plates, napkins, silverware, and bottled water. Sammi Piasecki will bring enough kalua pork and cabbage for all.  Bring your favorite side dish or dessert to share and reconnect.

Buddha’s Cup 78-1377 Bishop Rd, Holualoa, Hawaii 96725

Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Symposium

The 2025 Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Science & Management Symposium registration is now officially open!

This will be a 3-day free and virtual event, October 21-23, 12:30-4:30 pm HST for managers, researchers, policymakers, decision makers, and interested community members from across the Pacific who are interested in the history, prevention, management control, and impacts of CRB.  Day 1 and 3 will be presentations on new and emerging research topics including novel management and control tools, and Day 2 will be regional updates from across the Pacific.

Here is the official symposium website where you can find more information and registration links: https://www.crbhawaii.org/symposium2025

Highlighting: Post-Harvest Handling to Preserve Quality

As Kona growers work through the heart of the cherry-picking season, it is useful to recall what happens after harvest that can make or break the final cup. Scientific research shows that post- harvest practices contribute up to 60% of the final quality of green coffee beans! That means every step, from transport to drying, plays a critical role in preserving flavor, aroma, and bean integrity.

Gentle Harvest and Transport
Immediately after picking, cherries begin to undergo biochemical changes. Exposure to heat and delays in processing can accelerate microbial activity, leading to unwanted fermentation and flavor degradation.  According to a comprehensive review by IntechOpen (1), physicochemical changes begin immediately post-harvest and temperature control is vital to maintaining quality.
“Post-harvest processing changes the chemical composition of green coffee beans that directly or indirectly influences the quality and end products.” — IntechOpen.

Pulping and Fermentation
Timely pulping, ideally within hours of harvest, is essential. Delays can result in extended
fermentation, potentially producing sour or phenolic notes. Fermentation should be monitored for time, temperature, and pH to optimize flavor development. The IntechOpen (1) study emphasizes that fermentation is a key determinant of sensory attributes, including aroma and body.

Drying: The Make-or-Break Stage
Drying should reduce moisture content to 10–12%, ideally over 7–14 days depending on
climate. Rapid or uneven drying can cause “case hardening,” trapping moisture inside and
increasing mold risk. A 2023 study published in Foods (2) found that mechanical drying using CoffeeDryer® preserved higher levels of antioxidants and phenolic compounds and resulted in better sensory scores (80–81 on the SCA scale) compared to traditional sun drying. “Mechanical drying… preserved relatively high levels of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity… and guaranteed higher scores for fragrance/aroma and flavor.” — Foods, MDPI (2).

Sorting, Storage, and Stability
Once dried, parchment coffee should be store in hermetically sealed bags such as GrainPro.  Sorting out defective beans—broken, insect- damaged, or discolored—is essential for maintaining batch quality. A study published by AIP (3) highlights that adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in sorting and storage significantly improves consistency and marketability. “The resulting coffee bean color shows a gradient… and the average coffee produced has premium and specialty coffee quality.” — AIPPublishing (3).

Why It Matters
Kona coffee’s reputation is built on quality. With global markets increasingly focused on
traceability and flavor differentiation, post-harvest precision is not simply a good practice, it is a strategic and marketing advantage. By intentionally executing our handling from picking green beans, we honor our labor, our land, and the legacy of Kona coffee.

References and additional reading:
1. IntechOpen: The Harvest and Post-Harvest Management Practices’ Impact on Coffee
Quality
2. MDPI Foods: Influence of Drying Methods on the Post-Harvest Quality of Coffee
3. AIP Publishing: Implementation

What are Hawai`i Farms Growing

A new high-resolution map of Hawaiʻi has been released to reveal trends in what crops farmers are growing — and can potentially be used to assess and even predict wildfires.

The map was made as part of a collaboration between the University of Hawaiʻi and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which provided $270,000 for the project. Researchers used Google Earth Engine and Google’s DeepMind, an artificial intelligence system, to do the work.

The map, called the Hawaiʻi Cropland Data Layer, is free and publicly available through the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service website.

“We are able to do this for the first time in Hawaiʻi and using a fully automated computer-based approach. … So, we’d be able to do it every year in a highly automated way,” said Qi Chen, a professor at UH Mānoa’s Department of Geography and Environment and the project’s director.

Are We Still Freezing Coffee?
https://tinyurl.com/3bbccvwx

“…Freezing is becoming standard practice in specialty coffee.
Less than ten years ago, the idea of freezing roasted and green coffee was largely unheard of – or even frowned upon in some cases.

“We used to hear just a few years ago that you shouldn’t freeze roasted coffee, then Kyle Ramage, the 2017 US Barista Champion, proved them wrong,” says George.
During his routine, Kyle used dry ice to freeze his coffee before grinding, asserting that it resulted in a more even and consistent grind size, as well as sweeter flavours.
Scientific research backed this decision. A 2016 study led by Christopher Hendon found that ground coffee particles became smaller and more uniform in size at lower
temperatures, with the most significant change occurring between room temperature and -19°C (-2.2°F). Smaller, consistently-sized particles allow for more even, higher
levels of extraction, thereby releasing more flavours.

“Freezing coffee was one of those game-changing but, in hindsight, obvious breakthroughs,” says Ella, the head of quality control at Australia’s ST. ALi. “It’s effective, simple, and highly repeatable. I still find it surprising that we weren’t all doing it earlier. A few people experimented, shared their results online, and the practice spread rapidly.”..

International Coffee Day returns on 1st October with a focus on collaboration:

US Representative Jill Tokuda and KCFA Vice-President Suzanne Shriner in DC

” This is why supply chain players must seize every opportunity to work together to promote a future that can respond to the climate crisis, global conflicts and speculation, becoming increasingly inclusive and resilient.

The central theme of this International Coffee Day is to embrace collaboration more than ever before.

In the spirit of sharing successes, critical issues and possible solutions, participate in the digital campaign organised for this occasion by completing the sentence “Coffee is collaboration because…”.

You can get involved by using the hashtag #ICD2025.

https://tinyurl.com/yvw9ubtt

Photo: Ivette Perfecto, University of Michigan professor in the School for Environment and Sustainability, points to a nest of Solenopsis invicta, a species of ant that lives on a coffee farm in Puerto Rico. Credit: University of Michigan

“As we all sip our lovely, traceable, single-origin, impeccably processed, roasted and brewed coffees today, consider the fact that there is no-holds-barred chaotic insect warfare where the coffee was grown.

Two pioneering figures in the study of coffee-growing systems — Ivette Perfecto and John Vandermeer of the University of Michigan — recently published a study that sheds new light on that farm-level chaos, while hopefully illuminating pathways forward for pesticide-free coffee farming.

HFUU (https://hfuuhi.org/) is holding their annual convention in Keauhou  this year and Kona coffee is involved….  The free event on Saturday, October 25 requires registration, but will have a lot of good information and local food.  The research efforts of local and organic and Korean Natural Farming techniques for Kona coffee pest and disease management will have a one hour session from 10:30-11:30am.   Speakers will include Dan Hahn, Colehour Bondera and Dr. Hector Valenzuela.  Other farmer participants (several of whom are past KCFA BOD members) will be present for the Q & A discussion as well.

Contact Colehour Bondera for more info: colemel2@gmail.com.

Study; Moderate Coffee Drinking May Slow Cognitive Decline in Older Adults
https://tinyurl.com/4x3969ka

“The most consistent finding was that people who drank a moderate amount of coffee, or a moderate or high amount of tea, experienced a slower decline in a specific type of reasoning ability known as fluid intelligence, which tends to diminish with age.

People who drank 4 or more cups of coffee experienced the greatest decline in fluid intelligence, according to the Australia-based research team.

Interestingly, tea drinkers started off with slightly lower fluid intelligence scores at baseline, but their decline over time was slower — suggesting a potential protective effect…”

Help a Fellow Farmer

A long time Kona Coffee farmer has an old Denlab pulper that needs replacement parts that are no longer available. He is hoping that someone has a similar pulper which is no longer being used and is available for the spare parts. If you can help out, please call Dickran Boranian at 808-895-3974

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Survey to Detect and Prevent Invasive Bacteria Strains on Hawaii Farms & Nurseries

The objective of this research project is to conduct a survey for the presence of two infectious agents: Ralstonia solanacearum and Candidatus Phytoplasma australiense in
the Hawaiian Islands. Both pathogens cause a significant threat to solanaceous crops and have the potential to cause substantial economic losses in agriculture. R. solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 is notorious for causing bacterial wilt a wide range of crops and ornamental plants globally. Crop examples include: potato, tomato, ginger, turmeric, geranium, pelargonium, and most recently rose. In addition to these pathogens, members of the soft rot Pectobacteriaceae, specifically Dickeya sp. and Pectobacterium sp., causes heart rot and soft rot in PINEAPPLE.

I am seeking farmer cooperators who will allow me access to do a visual survey on the farm in which the crops and ornamental plants noted above are grown. I may also take
a sample for testing if I see a symptomatic plant.

Interested farmers can contact Asoka de Silva at asoka@hawaii.edu or (808)258-0094.
This Work Plan reflects a cooperative relationship between the University of Hawaii
(the Cooperator) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ).

Slow Foods Tierra Madre Americas

https://tinyurl.com/y2pnmj83

“Your body has its own built-in system for waking you up naturally. Shortly after you
open your eyes, cortisol levels rise, giving you the energy boost you need to get
moving. This natural surge is vital for your energy, mood and metabolism.
However, drinking coffee too soon after waking, especially on an empty stomach, can:

• Trigger an extra cortisol spike, which may leave you feeling anxious, jittery or wired
• Increase stomach acid production, leading to digestive discomfort
•  Disrupt blood sugar balance, setting you up for a crash around mid-morning
• Overstimulate your stress response, making menopause symptoms like fatigue, mood swings and weight gain harder to manage

Over time, this pattern can actually weaken your natural energy regulation, making you even more dependent on caffeine to get through the day.”

“The good news? You don’t have to give up coffee altogether. With a few simple adjustments, you can still enjoy your favourite brew and support your energy and hormones….”

Study: Coffee Drinking Linked to Healthy Aging & Longevity in Women
https://tinyurl.com/y67w9xz7

“The findings suggest that caffeinated coffee—not tea or decaf—may uniquely support aging trajectories that preserve both mental and physical function,” said Mahdavi, a
postdoctoral fellow at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.”
“While this study adds to prior evidence suggesting coffee intake may be linked with healthy aging, the benefits from coffee are relatively modest compared to the impact of
overall healthy lifestyle habits and warrant further investigation.”

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