KCFA Electronic Scrapbook
October 30, 2010
Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, October 30, 2010
Email: info@KonaCoffeeFarmers.org
website: www.KonaCoffeeFarmers.org
Farmers Asking For Immediate Suspension of Green Coffee Imports
The Kona Coffee Farmers Association has passed a Resolution (entire text may be found here http://konacoffeefarmers.org/Legislative_Objectives.asp ) calling for an immediate suspension of green coffee imports into the State of Hawaii. The decision was made by a Board vote on October 19th, 2010, shortly after the discovery of Coffee Berry Borer in Kona's coffee trees, and follows more than five years of requests to the HDOA to re-examine whether Hawaii's import laws were sufficiently protecting Hawaii's heritage crop from infestation by pests prevalent in other coffee growing regions.
"How did our Hawaii State Department of Agriculture fail us? How did the devastating pest get into Hawaii?" asked Christine Sheppard, a former Kona Coffee farmer. Continuing Sheppard said , "One of the most critical duties of the HDOA is to prevent introduction and spread of pests and diseases harmful to Hawaii agriculture."
Because of its extreme isolation, Hawaii has been one of only two places in the world free of the Coffee Cherry Borer. Imported green coffee is regularly brought into Kailua-Kona and places in the State of Hawaii to be mixed with 100% Kona to create Kona Blends and to create other coffee mixtures. "Hawaii, unlike other coffee growing regions, allows importation of green coffee and the only way to stop any further destruction and avoid the even more devastating coffee rust, is to ban green imports immediately", said Bruce Corker, President of the KCFA.
Coffee rust (Hemileia vastatrix) is a fungus which begins by destroying coffee leaves and eventually entire farms, and it arrives as a microscopic spore. "That would end coffee cultivation as it has been for the last 182 years in Kona", said Kona coffee farmer Bob Smith. Fully participating with the state-wide Coffee Cherry Borer Task Force, the Kona Coffee Farmers Association has appointed Smith as its delegate. Smith continued, "Green imports should be immediately banned into Hawaii if we want to keep our heritage Kona coffee viable".
To review KCFAs long-standing Position Statement on Green Coffee Imports click here: http://konacoffeefarmers.org/Green_Coffee_Imports.as
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October 1, 2010
www.KonaCoffeeFarmers.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KONA COFFEE FINALIST FOR PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL AWARD
KAILUA KONA, HAWAII, October 1, 2010 - The Slow Food Foundation has chosen 100% Kona Coffee as a finalist for its prestigious International Parmigiano-Reggiano Award. The award, which will presented at the Salone Del Gusto in Turin, Italy on October 23rd, honors food producers who have shown commitment to the protection of geographical origin, environmental protection, and dedication to taste.
The award was established in 2004 by the Parmigiano-Reggiano Consortium, on the occasion of its 70th anniversary, and is presented at the huge international exposition of good, healthy and fair food that draws over 150,000 visitors to Turin, Italy in October every two years. Small-scale food producers come to Salone del Gusto from all over the world to showcase their products, and the event is dedicated both to excellent food and to the extraordinary people who produce it. It promotes taste education, informing the public about the threat to food biodiversity and eco-gastronomic concerns and is also a place to explore the pleasures of the palate.
Colehour and Melanie Bondera will be attending the events on behalf of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association, (KCFA). "Slow Food strengthens communities of small-scale producers, protects traditional foods, counteracts the disappearance of local food traditions and teaches people responsibility, as well as pleasure, in their food choices", said Colehour. KCFA President Bruce Corker added, "The work in establishing geographic origins, such as Kona Coffee's participation in Salone del Gusto and work with the international organization 'oriGIn', is creating new economic protection for farmers, and guarantees the global consumer will recognize the real value of a product".
Salone del Gusto is held simultaneously with the Terra Madre world meeting of food communities. The five-day meeting will bring together food communities, cooks, academics, youth and musicians from all over the world, who are united in a desire to promote sustainable local food production in harmony with the environment while respecting knowledge handed down over the generations. Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 and now has over 100,000 members in 132 countries.
The Kona Coffee Farmers Association(http://www.konacoffeefarmers.org/) is a volunteer, non-profit, community-based organization of coffee farmers with the mission to promote and protect the economic interests of Kona coffee farmers who grow and sell 100% Kona coffee and to seek greater legal protection of the Kona coffee name.
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June 2010
KCFA On You Tube
Thanks to KCFA member Keola Childs who taped the last Coffee Talk, Videos are available below:
1-Robert Barnes - Organic fertilizer use and availability for Kona coffee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS7fuGYZaqU
2- Bob Smith - Inorganic Fertilizer use
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFBQWm-aOak
3- Bob Smith's Shoulder-Bag Fertilizer Spreader
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tucmGHXbNLs
4- Ben Discoe- Using Biochar to enhance, reduce fertilizer needs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42gr_1whjcjc8
Kona Coffee Wars on TV
Part 1
http://www.kitv.com/video/23457733/index.html
Part 2
http://www.kitv.com/video/23457734/index.html
More video on Kona Coffee-"Drought"
http://www.kitv.com/video/23503495/
March 2010
Crying Shame
or...Why one should carefully read the details- if they even exist!
Kona Blend bag from the mainland
no details available on bag either
February 2010
KCFA Political Announcement ad
January 2010
2010 EXPO AD (click to view) in West Hawaii Today .01.24.10
December 2009
Dinner Auction Thank You Ad (click to view)- published in WHT 12.11.09
November 2009
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Ad (click to view) - Gary T.Ota, DVM, a 3rd Generation Kona Coffee Farmer. Note he is using a ladder as many did long ago.
