HDOA E-News |
January 31, 2006
Aloha!
The 2006 legislative session opened on January 18, and in addition to being Deputy, I serve as the department’s legislative coordinator. Thousands of bills have been introduced ranging from land and water issues - to renewable energy initiatives and this session promises to be both exciting and productive.
The passage of Act 183 in last year's legislative session demonstrated the desire to conserve and protect important agricultural lands (IAL) in the state. Within that legislation, the department was directed to collaborate with industry and stakeholders to identify possible incentives to ensure agricultural viability and conservation of these lands. For more information on the strides made for IAL, including a preliminary report to legislature, please see our website at http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/ial.htm.
The department will be hosting statewide community meetings to gain input on incentives for IAL in the coming months and we request your help to make them successful. To help with planning, organization, or facilitation ideas, you can reach me by email at Duane.Okamoto@hawaii.gov.
Mahalo,
Duane K. Okamoto
Deputy to the Chairperson,
Hawaii Department of Agriculture
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On January 12, HDOA officials participated in the groundbreaking of the Department of Transportation’s new cargo building and a state-of-the art cargo inspection facility at Kahului Airport. The $23.3 million project will include construction of a $2 million, 7,400-square foot building to inspect incoming cargo to prevent the entry of alien/invasive species into Maui, as required by the Alien Species Action Plan (ASAP) for Kahului Airport. Work will also include a new 34,500-square foot air cargo building.
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To view the news release on the survey results, click here: http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/newsrelease/05-21.htm
To view the survey results, click here: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/speccrop/agtheft.htm
· HDOA is applying for a $40,000 grant with Risk Management Education to fund ag theft awareness activities to include multi-lingual print and broadcast campaign. Partners include the Honolulu Police Department and Pacific Gateway.
· Collaborative efforts are ongoing with Mayor Hanneman’s Ag Theft Task Force. HDOA is concentrating efforts in assisting farmers in filing police reports and encouraging retail and restaurant establishments to restrict the ability for thieves to sell stolen commodities.
· This week, Commodities inspectors visited 26 restaurants in Hilo (representing 70% of total restaurants in Hilo) to educate them on certificate of ownership requirements.
· Commodities personnel on Kauai also met with Kauai County police officers to discuss the department’s efforts to deter agricultural theft. Police officers were briefed on the requirements of the certificate of ownership for agricultural commodities at the Kauai Farm Bureau meeting in January. A meeting with Kauai’s Mayor Baptiste was also scheduled. Similar meetings are planned for the Big Island and Maui County.
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AG PARKS & IRRIGATION PROJECTS
· The Agricultural Resource Management Division ("ARMD") published a Public Notice of Negotiation for Lease for agricultural parks in Waianae, Oahu, Kekaha, Kauai and Pahoa on the Big Island in November 2005. Farm lots ranging in size from 5 to 29 acres were advertised for lease. Applications received are being reviewed for qualifications and compliance with program rules. The ARM Division is expecting to present its disposition results to the Board of Agriculture in March 2006.
· Construction for the Upcountry Maui Watershed Project, Distribution Pipeline, Kimo Lateral has begun. Notice to proceed was given on October 19, 2005 with a contract time of 270 calendar days. The $2.2 million project will install nearly 11,000 linear feet of 8-inch ductile iron pipe and four pressure break tank assemblies to provide irrigation water to users along Kimo Road.
· ARMD has awarded Unlimited Construction Services, Inc. a contract for the East Kauai Irrigation System Improvements project. The $400,000 project will replace the existing wooden flume, which is located downstream of the Wailua Reservoir, with an inverted siphon constructed of approximately 180 feet of 36-inch HDPE pipe. Construction is anticipated to begin in March or April of 2006.
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· Plant Industry staff assisted CTAHR-Plant & Environmental Protection Sciences researchers in evaluating insecticide trials of tall erythrina trees that were heavily damaged by the erythrina gall wasp (EGW) at a commercial plant nursery in Pearl City. Preliminary observations revealed that the trees treated with imidacloprid injections were in better condition than the untreated trees. The treated trees had more foliage, larger leaves, and fewer galls. However, follow-up examinations in November revealed that new growths on the same trees were heavily galled and the new stems and petioles had significant swelling. The effects of the imidacloprid injections appears to have worn off, allowing the wasp to damage the new growth.
· HDOA’s exploratory entomologist, Mohsen Ramadan, is currently in South Africa and Tanzania conducting field research into possible biocontrol agents in the native range of EWG. He has already sent back shipments of possible biocontrol agents, which are being held in quarantine at HDOA for host-specificity testing. While in Africa, Ramadan is also searching for potential biocontrol agents for fireweed.
· EGW samples have also been sent to Australia to researchers studying gall wasps. Specimens were also sent to Taiwan for comparison to other Asian specimens.
· Oahu staff visited Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden to observe and analyze the effects of the EGW on African erythrina trees. A staffer at the garden observed that trees from Africa seemed to exhibit significant resistance to EWG when compared to trees from other tropical areas.
· Oahu insectary staff continue to study the possible presence of local parasitoids of the erythrina gall wasp. Several unrelated insects that emerged from erythrina shoots have been collected and are undergoing indentification by HDOA’s taxonomist.
· To view the updated Pest Advisory, click here: http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/npa/npa05-03-EGW.pdf
· Coqui surveys on certified nurseries have been completed on Maui, Hawaii, Kauai and Oahu. Oahu certified nurseries have been found free of coqui except for three nurseries in Waimanalo and Haleiwa.
· Hilo staff will be working with researchers at CTAHR-Hilo on barrier methods to exclude frogs from nursery property. The project is funded by the Coqui Frog Working Group’s $100,000 fund from the County of Hawaii.
· Kauai staff continue eradication efforts of coqui frog infestation in Lawai.
· In October, Oahu noxious weed specialists and Plant Quarantine inspectors conducted night surveys of Waimanalo nurseries and surrounding areas. Three frogs were captured at two locations. HDOA staff teamed with the Oahu Invasive Species Committee in canvassing the Waimanalo neighborhoods near nurseries to inform residents about the coqui frog.
Other Pests
· The New Pest Advisory on Ohia rust has been updated, including DNA identification of the rust pathogen as Puccinia psidii Winter. Other changes were made to the sections on distribution, disease management and recommendations for control. To view the New Pest Advisory, click here: http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/npa/npa05-04-ohiarust.pdf
· Oahu survey entomologists have observed three species of ladybird beetles preying on papaya mealybug infestation on hibiscus plants at a Kahuku nursery. The ladybugs were purposely introduced in 1894 and 1922 for biocontrol of a scale and a mealybug. The nursery had planned to apply insecticides to control the mealybug; however, with the noticeable increase in the numbers of ladybird beetles observed, insecticide application has been placed on hold to see if effective biocontrol will result. The Pest Advisory has also been updated: http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/npa/npa04-03-PMB.pdf
· Biocontrol releases of the ivy gourd leafmining weevil indicated a high degree of success in controlling ivy gourd infestation in Kailua-Kona.
· Oahu staff surveyed a commercial farm in Ewa for pickleworm activity. A combination of insecticide applications have shown promise in controlling damage in honeydew melon plants.
· Kauai staff released ladybug predators for control of sago palm scale infestations at Princeville. Also, survey and control activities continue for thorny kiawe, salvinia, coqui and fountaingrass.
· Oahu insectary personnel reported a tiny encyrtid wasp was found in association with specimens of the hibiscus psyllid, a pest recently discovered on Oahu. The parasitic wasp is believed to have accompanied the psyllid and seems to be keeping infestations under control.
· Maui staff conducted an assessment on the distribution, level of infestation and damage of the pandanus (hala) scale. The survey was conducted in Hana and is believed to be the starting point for the infestation of the scale insect. The data will be used to analyze patterns of infestation and the presence of biocontrol agents. Staff believe that some species or varieties of hala appear to be resistant to the scale. Maui staff also continued surveys for Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) and found 17 infected mats in Lahaina, which were destroyed.
· Maui Noxious Weed Specialist tagged mats of banana plants infected with Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) at a Kula farm and met with farm personnel to discuss a BBTV control plan. Maui staff also detected BBTV infected mats at the Kula Ag Park in January. Surveillance efforts in Wailuku and Hana have not detect BBTV.
· Oahu staff teamed with state Department of Transportation personnel to remove approximately 100 non-flowering clumps of fountain grass on the Reef Runway at Honolulu International Airport.
· Big Island staff placed pheromone lure traps in Kona to capture nettle caterpillar adults to determine if this pest is established in West Hawaii.
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Preventing New Introductions of Pests
HDOA’s Seed Laboratory routinely examine lots of vegetable and other seeds arriving from foreign countries under the Federal Seed Act and under an agreement with USDA-APHIS-PPQ. Inspection activities included 81 lbs. of vegetables and non-subject seeds from Taiwan for noxious weeds and quarantined seeds; 160 lbs. of vegetable seeds, 130 lbs. of oriental vegetable seeds and 95 lbs of other seeds from Hong Kong; and 550 lbs. of seed from Australia. The lab also conducted eight germination tests on 110 lbs. of vegetable seeds from Japan. All seeds were admitted into US commerce.
Interceptions by Plant Quarantine Inspectors
(The following is a sampling of interceptions by Plant Quarantine Inspectors during the months of October to December 2005)
October 10 – Maui inspectors notified Kona inspectors that a passenger aboard a United Airlines flight declared coffee and palm seedlings. Kona inspectors met the passenger upon arrival and treated and destroyed the plants because the passenger did not have an import permit and had not made arrangements for quarantine. The requirements were established to prevent the introduction of the coffee berry borer, coffee rust, and other pests of coffee which are not in Hawaii. Palm plants are prohibited entry to prevent the introduction of lethal yellowing, cadangcadang, Guam disease and other diseases of palm.
October 11 – Oahu inspectors responded to an anonymous caller who said she saw workers at a supermarket garden shop capture a coqui frog in a shipment of banana plants from a nursery on the Big Island. Inspectors confirmed the information with store managers and conducted a nighttime survey of the garden shop. It was relayed to inspectors on a follow-up visit that two more dead coqui frogs were found by employees a few days later. The nursery that shipped the plants is now required to treat all plants prior to intra-state movement.
October 19 – Kona inspectors confiscated and destroyed seven coffee plants and five palm seedlings from a United Airlines passenger from Pennsylvania. The passenger did not have the required documents required for importation.
November 2 – Kona inspectors confiscated and destroyed a carton of baby mizuna heavily infested with insects that arrived from California via air cargo.
November 7 – A sugar glider was captured by a passenger aboard an Omni Air flight from Las Vegas to Honolulu. To view the news release, click here: http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/newsrelease/05-23.htm
November 8 – a tray of grass plants shipped via FedEx for a Maui nursery was confiscated and destroyed due to restrictions on importing grass plants.
November 17 – Hilo inspectors rejected a shipment of 10 sealing wax palms due to the presence of the nettle caterpillar. The shipment was bound from a Puna nursery to Maui. The plants were required to be treated with an insecticide before being allowed to ship.
November 17 – Maui inspectors intercepted a large bundle of Nicaraguan coffee beans during routine inspection at UPS. The importer from Molokai was not able to produce a valid treatment certificate and an import permit and decided to return the shipment to its origin.
November 17 – Oahu inspectors intercepted 1 lot (6 bunches) of fresh grass seed heads and 1 lot (1 lb.) of lime leaves that were infested with leaf miners. Both lots were destroyed by autoclave.
November 18 – Oahu inspectors intercepted 46 cartons (2,300 lbs.) of oysters for a Honolulu seafood wholesaler. The oysters were infested with attached organisms and was refused entry.
November 20 – Maui inspectors noticed heavy infestation of aphids on a shipment of decorated Italian Stone pine plants consigned to a Maui nursery via United Airlines. Eighteen boxes containing 318 plants were treated and destroyed.
On November 27 – Plant Quarantine inspectors conducted a risk assessment at Maui’s Kahului Airport. The two-week “blitz” consists of 100 percent inspection of all agricultural commodities entering Kahului Airport, including passengers, baggage, cargo and express mail (FedEx, UPS, etc.). Because interisland freight is considered a potential pathway for pest movement, cut flowers, plants and produce were also inspected. As time permitted, domestic flights were also boarded to check for mosquitoes in an effort to determine the risk as a potential pathway for West Nile virus.
November 29 – Oahu inspectors treated and destroyed 10 lbs. of watercress via Pacific Air from Los Angeles due to heavy infestation of aphids.
December 11 – PQ inspectors received a report from a Honolulu resident who captured a coqui frog in their washroom. The resident recently purchased and transported cut flowers from a Hilo open market vendor. The floral arrangement consisted of anthuriums and cut greens.
December 15 – Oahu inspectors intercepted 40 cartons of cut flowers and orchid plants at Continental Airlines cargo. The shipment was consigned to a cruise ship. The orchid plants arrived without a phytosanitary certificate and the importer did not possess an import permit. The orchid plants were confiscated and destroyed and the cut flowers were released.
December 16 – Maui inspectors rejected part of a Horizon Lines shipment of plants to a Kahului retailer. Eleven boxes of pink amaryllis bulbs were found to be infested with mealybugs and were treated and destroyed.
December 20 – Oahu inspectors received a call from a Kailua resident about a frog they captured on an orchid plant delivered by FedEx from a nursery in Kalapana on the Big Island. The nursery is now required to treat their plants prior to shipping interisland.
During the month of October, HDOA inspectors statewide intercepted 413 insects, of which 97 were not known to occur in Hawaii and 141 of unknown status.
During the month of November, there were 186 insect interceptions statewide, of which 25 were not known to occur in Hawaii and 105 of unknown status.
Between July and September 2005, HDOA inspectors conducted export inspections under the Origin Inspection Program. Ten OIP grower/shippers in Hawaii shipped the following approved cut flowers and foliage to California: 959 Lots and 1,643 parcels.
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Other Inspection, Investigation/Enforcement Activities
· In September, four warning notices were issued to farmers for non-compliance with worker protection standards. Failure to train workers, not posting pesticide applications and not having single use towels at decontamination sites were among the violations identified. Follow-up visits will be conducted.
· In November, HDOA’s Big Island entomologist conducted the semiannual inspection of honey bee queen breeders in South Kona. Nothing unusual was detected at any of the apiaries. Hawaii queen honey bees are shipped worldwide in large part due to Hawaii being free of Africanized bees, varroa mite and tracheal mites.
· In November, Plant Pest Control specialists visited five retail outlets to examine seed package labels for compliance under the Hawaii Seed Law and Seed Rules. Twenty-four packages of seed totaling 76 lbs. were removed from sale due to expired test dates.
· In November and December, Oahu Plant Quarantine inspectors inspected more than 200 containers of Christmas trees. During this inspection, four wasps, five Pacific tree frogs (some dead), a rough-skinned newt, and a dead shrew were intercepted.
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· Animal Industry staff completed three herd tests on Molokai, which resulted in negative results for bovine tuberculosis. HDOA veterinarians, along with USDA veterinarians and bovine tuberculosis experts from Washington State and Colorado will be holding an informational meeting on bovine tuberculosis on Thursday, February 2 at Kaunakakai School cafeteria at 7:00 p.m. Ranchers, hunters and interested individuals are invited to attend. To view the news release, click here: http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/newsrelease/06-01.htm
· In November, an Oahu farm was placed under quarantine for pseudorabies after surveillance testing detected two infected pot bellied pigs. The two pigs were euthanized and tissues sent to the University of Illinois for culture and characterization. The remainder of the pigs was isolated from other livestock on the farm and were retested after 30 days. A condition for the release of quarantine included the construction of a pig-proof fence with a double barrier to prevent contact with feral swine in the area.
· Canine Influenza or “dog flu” cases on the mainland have gained attention. To date, canine influenza has not been detected in Hawaii. HDOA has mailed a letter to all Hawaii veterinarians asking them to report any suspected cases of this virus. The Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility is also monitoring arriving dogs for symptoms of the flu and informational materials are being handed to owners of pets.
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AQUACULTURE
DEVELOPMENT
· Cates International Secures Ag Park land for Moi Hatchery
Cates International Inc., which raises moi (Pacific threadfin) two miles offshore from Ewa Beach, recently signed a lease on four acres in HDOA’s Kalaeloa Agriculture Park in Leeward Oahu. The company will use the land to design and build a state-of-the-art finfish hatchery to provide a stable and adequate supply of moi fingerlings to stock their offshore fish farm.
The company was the first commercial open ocean cage farm to lease ocean space and operate in the U.S. Four specially constructed 60' x 80' conical-shaped cages are anchored 40' underwater in water 100 to 120' deep. Hawaii's clean ocean water and strong ocean currents ensure pristine growing conditions and fish health. Each cage can hold over 100,000 fish. Stocking, feeding and harvesting are carried out from surface boats using large hoses and pumps.
Currently, all fingerlings for the cages are purchased under contract from the The Oceanic Institute. The new private hatchery will provide Cates with fingerlings in the quantity and consistency required to meet the increasing demand for moi in both local and export markets.
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· Ten HDOA agricultural commodities specialists successfully completed a week-long training class and a two-hour International Standardization Organization (ISO-2001) Lead Auditor exam. The branch is gearing up for the potential of increased requests from farmers for certification under the Good Agricultural Practices/Good Handling Practices Audit Verification Program.
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· In September, an agricultural loan totaling $100,000 was approved by the Board of Agriculture for Henry and Penny Hattal to develop an orchid farm in Waianae.
· In October, the Board of Agriculture approved agricultural loans to Artemio Sibucao totaling $70,000. The loan will be used to purchase 1/3 interest in a 30-acre Pahoa Ag Park lease with 7.8 acre shade house and anthuriums.
· In December, the Board approved a $990,000 participation loan with Hawaii National Bank for Mountain View Dairy, Inc., on Oahu. The loan will allow the dairy to develop an innovative environmentally friendly waste water system to treat the dairy's waste to meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations. The system will also recycle the water to grow feed which will help to reduce one of the dairy's major costs.
· Also at the December meeting, the Board approved a $385,000 loan request for Hanano Nursery.
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· National Organic Certification Program - $40,000
In this fiscal year, the Market Development Branch (ADD/MDB) is administrating the National Organic Certification Cost-Sharing program which reimburses Hawaii organic farmers for some of their certification costs. Organic certification is an important marketing tool for organic farmers and MDB has so far received and processed over 60 applications amounting to $17,000 statewide. Organic farmers who have not applied for reimbursement of their certification costs are invited to do so by calling MDB at 808-973-9595. Link: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexIE.htm
· English Language Assistance
HDOA Commodities personnel are working with Pacific Gateway Center to implement a USDA-funded program to assist farmers who are not fluent in the English language in understanding government regulations including requirements for certificates of ownership on movement of commodities and food safety guidelines. So far, eight translations of food safety flyers have been completed.
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· USDA-Export Readiness Training (ERT) Grant Award - $245,000
The USDA awarded a training grant for an export readiness-training (ERT) program in Hawaii. The ERT program will provide Hawaii-based export-ready and valued-added food companies with an international trade-training program including one-to-one consulting services and foreign market development assistance, making it possible for them to successfully export their products to selected emerging markets. Special emphasis will be placed on recruiting and training traditionally under-represented businesses such as rural, women-owned and minority-owned firms so that they can also enjoy the benefits of exporting to emerging markets. The Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA) will administer the grant project in cooperation with HDOA-ADD. Recruitment for a local contractor is underway and recruitment for companies will begin in March/April 2006.
http://www.fas.usda.gov/info/agexporter/2002/November/pgs4-5.pdf
http://www.wusata.org/ERT/Index.html
· HDOA Marketing Matching Funds Program - $200,000
Market Development Branch (MDB) of the Agricultural Development Division (ADD) continued its procedure to solicit and award marketing matching funds on a competitive basis. In this fiscal year, the review panel comprised of more members from outside the HDOA. They include representatives from the Small Business Administration, Bank of Hawaii, County of Hawaii, and DBEDT. The program remains popular, attracting 23 applications from 10 trade associations. Available statistics indicate that the $200,000 grant program generates a return- on-investment (ROI) of 20:1 in sales annually.
· Buy Fresh, Buy Local, Island Fresh Campaign
ADD/MDB is continuing to co-sponsoring a “Buy Fresh, Buy Local, Island Fresh” promotion with UH-CTAHR and the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation (HFBF). This campaign seeks to create consumer awareness by featuring local produce in newspaper and magazine articles. Another popular item was the development of a local produce availability chart. More monthly feature promotions are being planned.
· Seals of Quality Program
Governor Lingle gave final approval to adopt the Seals of Quality administrative rules in September 2005. The licensing agreement between Hawaii Tourism Authority and HDOA to use the “Hawaii” watermark for the Seals of Quality was executed in October 2005. A revised strategic marketing plan was completed in November 2005 and recruitment of participants started in December 2005. To date, we have recruited some top notch, Hawaii producers with consistent and high-quality products.
· Natural Products Expo West Trade Show
HDOA and DBEDT are coordinating a Hawaii exhibit at the Natural Products Expo West Trade Show to be held in Anaheim, March 23-26, 2006. Companies interested in participating should contact the Market Development Branch at 973-9595.
·
HDOA
received an honorable mention award and plaque for their exhibit at the 2005
Hawaii Lodging, Hospitality and Foodservice Expo.
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PUBLIC AWARENESS
· Big Island staff set up displays at the Hilo County Fair in September. Displays included posters of plant pests, recent pest advisories, live specimens of plant pests and information on pesticide worker protection. Hilo staff also set up an educational display at the Big Island Orchid Society’s annual plant sale. A display was also set up at the St. Joseph School carnival and bazaar featuring information about coqui, little fire ant, giant whitefly, sago palm scale and nettle caterpillar.
· PQ staff on Maui and Oahu collaborated with DLNR and the Maui Invasive Species Committee in an educational display at the Maui County Fair. Confiscated illegal animals were transported by an inspector to Maui, including coqui frogs which were of great interest to Maui residents.
· Big Island Agricultural Loan Division staff set up a booth at the Mealani Forage Field Day in Waimea. Information on agricultural loans were distributed and staff received several inquiries from potential borrowers.
· Plant Quarantine personnel conducted presentations for the following schools:
October – 80 preschool students
November - 45 12th grade students from Mid-Pacific Institute.
December - 49 students from Kidz Kare
· In December, a commodities specialist conducted an egg grading informational class to elementary school cafeteria employees.
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HDOA Retirements
· Calvin Lee, branch manager of the Market Development Division, retired at the end of December after 32 years of service. Abel Konan has accepted temporary assignment to the position.
· Randy Kamiya, milk control program specialist, retired in December after 16 years of service.
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To visit the HDOA website: click here: http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/