FIGHTING THE COFFEE BERRY BORER is receiving immediate help through Ka`u’s U.S. Senator, Mazie Hirono and the United States Department of Agriculture. Yesterday, Hirono and the USDA unveiled a major federal initiative to fight the coffee berry borer that has been ravaging Kona coffee farms for almost three years and threatens to take down Ka`u if it not pushed back. The project, a new arm of the USDA’s integrated pest management program, will be a scientifically-based approach to fighting the invasive species, said a statement from Hirono’s office. In the immediate term, USDA will spend $1 million to set-up the Hawai`i operation. “This new initiative to fight the coffee berry borer is great news for Hawai`i and our economy, and I am very pleased that the USDA has recognized the threat of this highly destructive invasive species,” said Hirono. “Our state produces some of the world’s best coffee, and coffee is an important export from our state. But the livelihood of Hawai`i Island coffee growers is increasingly being threatened by the coffee berry borer, as many farmers are forced to abandon large portions of their yields due to infestation each year. “That’s why I originally urged the USDA to set up this initiative and have been working closely with the department to begin its implementation. USDA, the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture and the University of Hawai`i will collectively work to help coffee farmers combat and contain this invasive species.” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack wrote to Hirono: “USDA shares your concerns about the agricultural and economic impacts of this noxious pest. As such, I am pleased to announce the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service has funded an Area Wide Integrated Pest Management program to aid in controlling the coffee berry borer in the United States.” Members of the Hawai`i congressional delegation worked for more funding for a possible program in the Farm Bill being considered in Congress. Ahead of USDA’s agreement to fund a program, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard introduced a successful amendment which was included in the Farm Bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that authorized funding for a USDA program. Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa cosponsored the measure. Hirono introduced a similar measure in the Senate that was cosponsored by Sen. Brian Schatz.“The coffee berry borer has been a destructive force striking at the heart of Hawai‘i’s multi-million dollar coffee industry,” said Gabbard. “In just two years, our treasured Kona coffee industry suffered more than $9 million in market losses, representing a roughly 25 percent revenue decrease. The economic impact has been deeply felt by coffee farms, most of which are small family farms, and coffee processors are being forced to lay off workers or reduce hours.” The program will be tasked with distributing effective treatments to local farmers and educating them on the most effective treatment practices, researching the genetic makeup of the coffee berry borer to find its weakness and disposing of infected plants. In his letter, Vilsack explained that the new USDA initiative will coordinate with local coffee farmers, the University of Hawai`i and the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture to use the following techniques to fight the borer: Distribute the most effective repellents to farmers and training them on how to best use these treatments; research new types of pest controls that could be more effective in killing the beetles; create a plant sanitation program that decreases the opportunities for borer to reproduce and spread; study the borer to find how the species is similar or different that other agricultural pest in order to develop better methods for controlling the pest. Hawai`i Island is home to more than 700 small coffee farms. In 2011, coffee farmers in Hawai`i produced more than 8 million pounds of coffee, valued at more than $30 million. The borer is an insect native to Central Africa that lives, feeds and reproduces in both immature and mature coffee berries. This damage can have a significant negative impact on the quality and quantity of coffee crop yields. As a direct result of the coffee berry borer, many farmers in 2012 have expressed concerns that their yields were in jeopardy. Recent reports have found infestation rates of up to 80 percent for some Hawai`i farms.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 01:17:52 +0000
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