Providing science-based information to serve Hawaii's Farming Community
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Growing Your Business
Evaluating Sustainability in Agriculture
By Dr. Linda J. Cox
Interest in food security and sustainable agricultural production is at an all time high. Many different points of view about the most important aspects of food production exist. This article presents information about different aspects of food production that is linked to sustainability, and highlights the need to develop a sustainability evaluation system for agriculture in Hawaii.
READ the full article here.
FMI: Linda Cox, email: lcox@hawaii.ed
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Sustainable & Organic Research &
Outreach News
News from Hawai'i's Researchers and Extension
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It's Hot in Hawai'i:
Capsaicin Content of Hawaii-grown Chili Peppers
Ted Radovich, email: theodore@hawaii.edu; Kevin Crosby,
Glenn Teves, email: tevesg@ctahr.hawaii.edu;
Alton Arakaki, email: arakakia@ctahr.hawaii.edu;
Amjad Ahmad, email: alobady@hawaii.edu
Hot peppers (Capsicum spp.) are grown worldwide and the characteristic of each species helps determine how highly consumers value them. Pungency, determined by the concentrations of capsaicin and similar compounds in the fruit, is the most notable characteristic of hot peppers, with other flavor characteristics as well as color and fruit shape playing secondary roles in consumer acceptance. This article discusses the characteristics of various hot pepper species and presents information about the capsaicin content of chili peppers grown in Hawaii.
READ the full article here.
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Farmers Can Help our Hawaiian Hoary Bats
Gregory A. Koob, Pacific Islands Area Biologist, USDA-NRCS, email: gregory.koob@hi.usda.gov
Hawai‘i has only one native land mammal, the Hawaiian hoary bat or ‘ōpe‘ape‘a, which is a Federal and State endangered subspecies. These insectivorous bats play an important role in regulating the insect populations of natural and agricultural ecosystems. Financial or technical assistance for farmers and ranchers to improve bat habitat on their property may be available from USDA-NRCS. This article presents information about the bat’s description, habitat, feeding preferences, mortality, and management options for increasing its habitat quality or availability.
READ the full article here.
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Sheep and Goat Basics for Hawaii
Matt Stevenson, email: stevenso@hawaii.edu; Ashley Stokes, email: amstokes@hawaii.edu, and John Powley
Sheep and goats, also called small ruminants, have been a part of Hawaii’s cultural and physical landscapes for over two centuries. In addition to commanding a healthy market for cabrito and lamb, producers use these animals to meet multiple land management objectives: fire fuels reduction, weed management, brush control, and others. This brief provides general guidelines and considerations for those interested in or currently raising goats and sheep with particular attention to issues relevant to Hawaii.
READ the full article here.
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Cover Crops as Insectary Plants to Enhance Above and Below Ground Beneficial Organisms
Koon-Hui Wang, email: koonhui@hawaii.edu
Insectary plants are plants that attract beneficial insects and they can be grown as cover crops. Careful selection of such cover crops to meet your farming needs depends on climate, season, nutrient requirement, location of the farm, crops planted, and your farming practices. This article focuses on discussing cover crops that can serve as insectary plants, living mulch, green manure, or those that can convert into organic mulch.
READ the full article here.
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Ecosystem Services from Trees in Coffee Agroecosystems
Travis Idol, email: idol@hawaii.edu
The majority of coffee supplied to the markets around the world comes from small farms scattered throughout various coffee-growing regions in the tropics, including Hawaii. These small farms often include trees that produce macadamia, avocado, citrus, bananas, or timber products to diversify their operations or for the other benefits trees provide to the coffee crop, the producer(s) and/or farm laborers. This article summarizes some of the ecosystem services trees provide for coffee and other diversified agricultural systems.
READ the full article here.
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The Hawaii Public Seed Initiative
Lyn Howe, email: seedproject@kohalacenter.org, Nancy Redfeather, email: nredfeather@kohalacenter.org, and Hector Valenzuela, email: hector@hawaii.edu
Having access to seed to sow in the garden or farm, especially in case of emergencies, is a central aspect of food self-sufficiency, especially in isolated areas like Hawaii that import a large percentage of the food supply. Therefore, local knowledge about the art and science of seed saving, and ready access to a supply of locally available, adapted seed varieties supports the goal of food self-sufficiency. This article discusses the Hawaii public seed initiative.
READ the full article here.
For more information about CTAHR's research, visit our Office of Research Webpage.
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Publications & Programs
for sustainable and organic production systems
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USDA National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) Meeting
Mr. Colehour J. Bondera serves on the NOSB Board. Mr. Bondera farms at Kanalani Ohana Farm and produces organic coffee, vegetables, avocados, fruit and cacao. He is both willing and able to hear many voices in terms of providing good representation at this national level, so feel free to contact him with questions and suggestions. Email: colemel@kanalanifarm.org
ICS now subsidiary company of IMI Global
Organic Trade Association proclaims several “myths” about organics are "busted
Publications
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Controlling the Coffee Berry Borer (Youtube videos)
Regional food hubs/value chains: The USDA just released Moving Food Along the Value Chain: Innovations in Regional Food Distribution, a study of the aggregation, distribution, and marketing operations of eight regional food hubs/value chains. The report explores innovation and opportunities for diverse local food distributors.
USDA Celebrates 150th Anniversary by Jolene Lau, Public Affairs, USDA NRCS Pacific Islands Area
SARE, in partnership with Cooking Up A Story, has produced a series of how-to videos showcasing production and marketing practices used by some of the nation’s most successful sustainable farmers and ranchers.
Managing Cover Crops Profitably (3rd Edition) explores how and why cover crops work and provides all the information needed to build cover crops into any farming operation.
National Continuing Education Program about Sustainable Agriculture available from SARE. SARE also has Curricula for Educators available.
Office of Environmental Markets is a new office created within the U.S. Department of Agriculture to catalyze the development of markets for ecosystem services.
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Western Region Sustainable Agriculture and Education Program (WSARE)
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Learn more about WSARE’s activities in their quarterly newsletter Simply Sustainable.
Since 1988, the WSARE program has been supporting agricultural profitability, environmental integrity and community strength through grants that enable cutting-edge research and education to open windows on sustainability across the West, including Hawaii. The goals of WSARE are:
- Promote good stewardship of our natural resources.
- Enhance the quality of life of farmers and ranchers and ensure the viability of rural communities.
- Protect the health and safety of those involved in food and farm systems.
- Promote crop, livestock and enterprise diversification.
- Examine the regional, economic, social and environmental implications of adopting sustainable agriculture practices and systems.
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For more information, please see: https://wsare.usu.edu/ or contact Hawaii WSARE coordinator Dr. Ted Radovich at theodore@hawaii.edu.
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This e-publication has been prepared by CTAHR research scientists and extension staff to deliver science-based information about sustainable and organic production systems to serve Hawaii's farming community.
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Mahalo nui loa,
Eric Collier, Education Specialist and Managing Editor
Dr. Linda Cox and Dr. Ted Radovich
Jody Smith, e-Extension Manager
Sustainable and Organic Agriculture Program
Cooperative Extension Service
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
The University of Hawai‘i is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.
Jody Smith | Web Manager | smithjos@hawaii.edu
Copyright ©2013 University of Hawai‘i - College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. Updated 4 Nov, 2021
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