VOLUME 15 NO.

OAHUCOOPERATIVEEXTENSIONSERVICEAGRICULTURALUPDATES
UNIVERSITYOFHAWAIIATMNOA
COLLEGEOFTROPICALAGRICULTUREANDHUMANRESOURCES

FIELDDAY:HAVEACRATEDAY(FLYERATTACHED)
Saturday,June27,2015
PoamohoResearchStation
65620KaukonahuaRoad
Waialua,Hawaii
(AcrosstheStreetfromtheMainOffice)
10:00amto12:00pm

PleasejoinDr.KoonHuiWangandmembersofCRATEforaneducationalupdateontheirfieldresearch
projectswhichaddressesagrowinginterestinHawaiiagriculture:Nonchemicalpestmanagementapproaches
&utilizationofOSUsCoverCropCalculatorProgram.

Topicswillinclude:

VerifyingtheuseofVermicompost(compostfromcompostingworms)induceshostplantresistance
Modifyinghotwatersystemsusedinornamentalpestmanagementprogramstoserveasanon
chemicalpestmanagementtoolinvegetableproduction
Insectaryplantingtoattractbeneficialinsectsandmulchingtoreducepestpressure
Additionofmushroomcompostforsoilhealthmanagement
VerificationandapplicationofOSUsCoverCropCalculatorforlocalconditions

COVERCROPEVALUATIONWITHHARC&OAHURC&D(ATTACHMENT)
Pleasefindattachedanopportunityforgrowerstoparticipateinaprojectevaluatingtheuseofcovercrops
andtheirbenefitsofimprovedsoilhealth.OahuRC&DandHARCareseekingfarmstoparticipateina3year
programevaluatingtheeconomiccostsandsoilhealthbenefitsofmixedspeciescovercropplantings.

Thereisnocosttoparticipate,andfarmsmayreceiveastipendupto$500/acre/yearforarea(s)plantedto
covercrop.Ifyouareinterested,pleasereturntheattachedformand/orcontactjean.brokish@oahurcd.org
orjbarton@harchspa.comformoredetails.

AGROFORESTRYWORKSHOPS
CreativeAgroforestryWorkshopsforsustainablefoodproducinglandscapesJune2015
Workshops:CreativeAgroforestryforfoodproducinghome,farm,andcommunitylandscapes

Waipahu,Oahu,June2728

Moreinformation,agendas,andregistrationwww.agroforest.info<http://www.agroforest.info>
ThelastthreeweekendsinJune,AgroforestryNetandHawaiiHomegrownFoodNetworkarecollaborating
withlocalpartnersonMaui(June1213),Kona(June2021),andOahu(June2728)topresentaseriesof
workshopsaboutagroforestry.

Theseinteractiveworkshopswillshowparticipantshowtogrowlongtermplantingsthatcanprovide
abundantfoodathome,onfarmsandranches,andincommunitylandscapes.Suchagroforestrylandscapes
alsoexemplifythecultureandiconicbeautyofHawaii.Additionally,theworkshopswillshowparticipants
howtouselocalmaterialstoenhancesoilfunction(ratherthanpurchasingimportedfertilizers)andhowto
reducetheuseofpesticidesandherbicides.USDANRCSassistanceprogramsapplicabletoagroforestrywill
alsobeexplained.

Eachworkshopincludesadayofpresentationsbyeightspeakers,followedbyadayoffieldtoursofexemplary
agroforestrysites.Theworkshopsareforfarmers,landscapers,agriculturalprofessionals,foresters,ranchers,
homeowners,agriculturalextension,communityplanners,andeveryoneworkingwithsustainableagriculture,
urbanbeautification,naturalresourceconservation,andhumannutrition.

Workshopparticipantswillreceiveacopyofthenew320pagebookAgroforestryLandscapesforPacific
Islands:CreatingabundantandresilientfoodsystemseditedbyCraigElevitch,dueinprintJuly2015(a$60
value).Formoreinformationabouttheworkshopsortoregister,visitwww.agroforest.info
<http://www.agroforest.info>.

KAPIOLANICOMMUNITYCOLLEGES
VALUEADDEDFOODINNOVATIONPROJECT(ATTACHMENT)
PleasefindattachedtheannouncementfromKapiolaniCommunityCollegeabouttheirFoodInnovation
Project.TheprojectisfundedbyaUSDepartmentofLaborgranttocreateapilotfoodprocessingfacility.

KCCwantstoofferitsresearchanddevelopmentservicestofarmerswhowanttoproducevalueadded
products.TheyareopentoworkingwithfarmersthatwanttoutilizetheirserviceastheyapplyfortheValue
addedproducergrant.Formoreinformation,pleasecontact:
DanielLeung
CulinaryArtsDepartment
KapiolaniCommunityCollege
4303DiamondHeadRoad
Honolulu,HI96816
Phone:7349473
Fax:7349212

REPOSTING:VALUEADDEDPRODUCERGRANTS
ValueAddedProducerGrantsAvailableforAgProducers
Hilo,Hawaii,May22,2015StateDirectorChrisJ.Kanazawatodayannouncedthat$30millionavailableto
farmers,ranchersandfoodentrepreneurstodevelopnewproductlines.Fundingwillbemadeavailable
throughUSDAsValueAddedProducerGrant(VAPG)program.

TheValueAddedProducersGrant(VAPG)programnotonlyenablesfarmersandrancherswithopportunities
toincreasetheirincomefromtheirfarmingactivities,italsoincreasesjobsandexpandsthefoodchoicesfor
HawaiisfamiliessaidChrisKanazawa,StateDirectorforUSDARuralDevelopment.Hawaiisagriculture
communityhasdemonstratedalonghistoryofinnovationandtheVAPGprogramprovidesanexcellent
resourcetoperpetuatethistradition.

USDAplanstomakeapproximately$30millioningrantsavailable.ApplicationswillbeacceptedthroughJuly
8,2015.Moreinformationonhowtoapplycanbefoundonpage26528oftheMay8,2015FederalRegister
(http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR20150508/pdf/201510440.pdf).

VAPGgrantscanbeusedtodevelopnewproductlinesfromrawagriculturalproductsoradditionalusesfor
alreadydevelopedproductlines.Militaryveteran,sociallydisadvantaged,andbeginningfarmersand
ranchers;operatorsofsmallandmediumsizedfamilyfarmsandranches;farmerandranchercooperatives;
andforapplicantsthatproposemidtiervaluechainprojectsaregivenspecialpriorityinapplyingforVAPGs.
Additionalpriorityisgiventogroupapplicantswhoseekfundingforprojectsthatbestcontributetocreating
orincreasingmarketingopportunitiesforthesetypeofoperators.

Infiscalyear2013,forexample,KahukuFarmsreceiveda$207,044workingcapitalValueAddedProducer
GranttoexpandtheirLilikoi(PassionFruit)ButterandLilikoiJellymarket.

Infiscalyear2014,EmilyTaaroa,dbaPunachicksFarm,receiveda$20,000workingcapitalValueAdded
ProducerGranttomarketfresh,locallygrownchickenasanalternativetoimportedfactoryfarmproducts.
Thegrantfundsexpandsproduction,improvespackaging,anddevelopsbetterdeliveryofgoodsto
restaurants,storesandindividualconsumersthroughoutthestateofHawaii.
FormoreinformationontheVAPGprogram,pleasecontactoneofthefollowingBusinessProgramsSpecialist:
ShirleyHeatherlyat(808)5412600,ext.139orshirley.heatherly@hi.usda.govforOahu,Kauai;and
AmericanSamoa,
LoriNekobaat(808)9338312orlori.nekoba@hi.usda.govforMauiandHawaiiCounty
AnthonyBarcinasat(671)3008567oranthony.barcinas@pb.usda.govforWesternPacific
PresidentObamasplanforruralAmericahasbroughtabouthistoricinvestmentandresultedinstrongerrural
communities.UnderthePresidentsleadership,theseinvestmentsinhousing,communityfacilities,
businessesandinfrastructurehaveempoweredruralAmericatocontinueleadingthewaystrengthening
Americaseconomy,smalltownsandruralcommunities.
USDAisanequalopportunityproviderandemployer.Tofileacomplaintofdiscrimination,write:USDA,Office
oftheAssistantSecretaryforCivilRights,OfficeofAdjudication,1400IndependenceAve.,SW,Washington,
DC202509410orcall(866)6329992(TollfreeCustomerService),(800)8778339(LocalorFederalrelay),
(866)3778642(Relayvoiceusers)

BEEREADYTOCELEBRATE(CTAHRNOTES)
June15toJune21hasbeendesignatedasPollinatorWeek,Hawaiisfourthannualcelebrationoftheevent.
Thisyear,theUHHoneybeeProjectwillsetupaboothforapublicexhibitonJune20thattheHonoluluZoo
grounds.ApiculturespecialistEthelVillalobos(PEPS)willcoordinatewithWillHainesandJasonGraham(both
PEPS)andHDOAStateApiaristDanielleDowney.Jasonworkswithnativeyellowfacedbees,hopingtohelp
keepthemfromdeclining.AssociateDeanCharlesKinoshitawillhelptofundthedisplays,whichwilleducate
visitorsabouttheessentialnatureofpollinators,includingbees,inmaintainingourfoodsupplyandour
ecosystems.

CTAHRwillalsobeorganizingagriculturalprofessionaleducationalworkshopsacrossthestateincelebration
ofourvaluablepollinators.
JARISUGANO/JENSENUYEDA
OAHUAGRICULTURALCOOPERATIVEEXTENSIONAGENTS
COLLEGEOFTROPICALAGRICULTUREANDHUMANRESOURCES
UNIVERSITYOFHAWAIIATMNOA
WAHIAWAEXTENSIONOFFICE
910CALIFORNIAAVENUEWAHIAWAHI96786
www.ctahr.hawaii.edu
PHONE:8086224185
FAX:6211912

NonChemicalPestManagement&CoverCropCalculator

Center for Rural Agricultural Training and Entrepreneurship (CRATE), Western IPM & USDA NIFA

HAVE A CRATE DAY

Saturday, June 27, 2015
Poamoho Research Station
65-620 Kaukonahua Road
Waialua, Hawaii
(Across the Street from the Main Office)
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Please join Dr. Koon Hui Wang and members of CRATE for an educational update on their field research
projects which addresses a growing interest in Hawaii agriculture: Non chemical pest management
approaches & utilization of OSUs Cover Crop Calculator Program. Topics will include:

Verifying the use of Vermicompost (compost from composting worms) induces host plant
resistance
Modifying hot water systems used in ornamental pest management programs to serve as a nonchemical pest management tool in vegetable production
Insectary planting to attract beneficial insects and mulching to reduce pest pressure
Addition of mushroom compost for soil health management
Verification and application of OSUs Cover Crop Calculator for local conditions

For information or to request an auxiliary aid or service (e.g., sign language interpreter,
designated parking, or materials in alternate format), contact Jensen Uyeda
(juyeda@hawaii.edu) or Jari Sugano (suganoj@ctahr.hawaii.edu) at (808) 622-4185 at least
seven days before the activity/event (6/20/15).