Providing science-based information to serve Hawaii's Farming Community
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Growing Your Business
What is Local Food and Who Wants What?
By Dr. Linda J. Cox
and Dr. Wuyang Hu, University of Kentucky
Local food is in the marketplace more than ever. No legal definition of local food exists. This article provides an overview of research done on local food and highlights the importance of the consumers’ opinion about local food.
READ the full article here.
FMI: Linda Cox, email: lcox@hawaii.edu
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Sustainable & Organic Research &
Outreach News
News from Hawai'i's Researchers and Extension
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Sustainable Practices to Boost Tree Seedling Performance
Travis Idol, email: idol@hawaii.edu and Gaoussou Diarra, email: gaoussou@hawaii.edu
Native Hawaiian trees are being raised as seedlings in nurseries across the State and the most common species by far is Acacia koa Gray, the famous koa tree. The successful establishment of seedlings after outplanting, especially in stressful sites, requires vigorous seedlings. This article summarizes nursery practices that will help ensure that seedlings will thrive and help restore our native forests.
READ the full article here.
FMI: Travis Idol, email: idol@hawaii.edu
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Food Security and Economic Sustainability: Current Research in Tropical Fruit Production at the University of Hawaii
Mark Nickum, email: nickum@hawaii.edu
Dr. Nickum is currently working on Avocado, Breadfruit, and potentially on Citrus. He believes that these tropical tree fruits hold promise for import substitution in order to increase the State’s food security. This article summaries his current research projects and provides a photo essay.
READ the full article here.
FMI: Mark Nickum, email: nickum@hawaii.edu
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An Overview of Survey Respondents Interested in Organic Cotton Products
Shu-Hwa Lin, email: shulin@hawaii.edu and Linda J. Cox, email: lcox@hawaii.edu
Organic cotton products occupy a growing market niche across the U.S, but are not widely marketed in Hawai‘i. The higher prices currently charged for organic cotton goods may reflect a premium marketing strategy and may leave room for additional niche markets. This article presents results from a survey of Hawai‘i consumers to investigate who prefers organic cotton and who prefers conventional cotton in order to assist retailers interested in this potential market.
READ the full article here.
FMI: Shu Hwa Lin, email: shulin@hawaii.edu
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Shining bright in Waianae: How bees and reflective mulch can improve vegetable production in Hawaii
Emma Shelly and Ethel Villalobos, email: emv@hawaii.edu
In the past, small farmers across the State have relied on feral bees from wild hives to provide the pollination services needed by their vegetable crops. However, with the arrival of new bee parasites and diseases to the State, feral bee populations have largely declined, forcing farmers to managed their own apiaries to obtain pollination services. This article highlights a farm that has been successful in managing its own apiaries in order to obtain these services.
READ the full article here.
FMI: Ethel Villalobos, email: emv@hawaii.edu
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Not All Lady Beetles are Created Equal:
Learn about different Types of Lady Beetles in Hawaiʻi with Special Talent
Jane Tavares, email: janemt@hawaii.edu, Koon-Hui Wang, email: koonhui@hawaii.edu, and
Jensen Uyeda email: juyeda@hawaii.edu
At least 138 species of lady beetles (Coccinellids) have been introduced into Hawaiʻi and 87 of these species are now established in the State. (Lady beetle: British; Lady bug: American. When a common name is needed, entomologists prefer ladybird beetles or lady beetles, as these insects are not true bugs.) Ladybirds come in a variety of sizes, colors and patterns and also have different preferences for their prey. This article contains pictures of many common ladybirds and provides details for those with specific feed preferences.
READ the full article here.
Lady Beetles of Hawaii (poster)
FMI: Koon-Hui Wang, email: koonhui@hawaii.edu
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Evaluating Promising New Eggplant Varieties
J. Sugano, email: suganoj@ctahr.hawaii.edu; S. Fukuda, T. Radovich, email: theodore@hawaii.edu; J. Uyeda, email: juyeda@hawaii.edu; S. Migita, K. Takeda, and M. Chou
Long eggplant (Solanum melongena) cultivars are preferred by many Hawaii’s growers and consumers. Variety trials were conducted in 2008 and 2013 using a randomized complete block design with 4 reps at the Poamoho and Waimanalo Research Stations under conventional and certified organic management. Results from those trials are described in this article.
READ the full article here..
FMI: Jari Sugano, email: suganoj@ctahr.hawaii.edu
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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TALK STORY:
Join Hawaii’s Organic Agriculture Discussion List
ORGANIC-L : https://listserv.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=organic-l&A=1
Organic Certification: Getting Started
Growers who wish to market more than $5,000 of organic produce annually must be certified. A resource list for Hawaii growers who wish to become certified organic is available here.
HOFA Update
HOFA, Hawaii Organic Farming Association, is revitalized after a period of relative inactivity following HOFA getting out of the certification business in 2011 due to the high costs involved. HOFA's purpose is to educate and advocate about the benefits of organic agriculture and related issues. The new board is charting new directions including educational programs and support to offer organic farmers and others, and is working with the Kohala Center's Organic Industry Advisory Panel to identify the needs of the organic industry in Hawaii. For information on how to become a member and supporter, to stay updated about upcoming educational activities, and to network with organic farmers in the state, go to: www.hawaiiorganic.org. (Submitted by Dr. Hector Valenzuela)
Funding Renewed for Organic Cost-Share Program
The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) is currently accepting applications for a new round of organic certification cost-share assistance to organic farmers and organic livestock operators. Applications and information are available online at the HDOA website:
http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/add/md/usda-organic-certification-cost-share-programs/
NOP announces four new resources for: Seeds, Kelp, Livestock Food & Residue testing
After reviewing public comments, the NOP has finalized its policy in four areas:
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NEW FARMERS cultivated by GoFarm Hawaii
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NEW FARMERS cultivated by GoFarm Hawaii
GoFarm Hawaii, a new program at the University of Hawaii Community Colleges is growing something extremely vital at Windward Community College—commercial farmers. The program is part of C3T Hawaii--Community College, Career Training--and is funded by a $24.6 million workforce development grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.
Wetland Taro Growers: UH CTAHR Soil Health/Taro Quality Survey Collaboration
The Taro Task Force is partnering with UH CTAHR on a soil survey for statewide taro farmers to gain a better understanding of soil health and soil practices in wetland taro cultivation and its relationship with taro quality (density). The study offers free soil sampling to participating wetland taro farmers on all islands for the fields where the study gathers information. If you are interested in participating, please contact Jacqueline Meyer, CTAHR Graduate Student at jemeyer@hawaii.edu, phone: (808) 772 2379.
The program would like to include all interested taro growers. They are looking for growers who have:
1. A wetland taro farm
2. At least 30 ohana from the same variety that can be harvested at once for yield data
3. Be willing to participate with program staff and share on farm fertilization information
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Penny Levin (email: pennysfh@hawaii.rr.com) or the other Taro Task Force members on your island.
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Western Region Sustainable Agriculture and Education Program (WSARE)
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The Winter 2012 issue of Simply Sustainable contains articles about the Keynote presentations from the WSARE Infrastructure Conference, funded grad student projects, a successful regional distribution project, and a no-till and cover crops workshop.
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 Hawai'i.
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.
For more information, please see: http://www.westernsare.org/ or contact Hawai'i WSARE co-coordinators Dr. Ted Radovich (theodore@hawaii.edu) and Jari Sugano (suganoj@ctahr.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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