COM 0863.000 2024-2026 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CBB/CLR Pesticide Reimbursement2026 control and $600 per year per acre for CLR control and provided further that no single coffee grower shall receive subsidies that are more than $12,000 per year total. 1. Purpose We request the continuation of the subsidy program supporting mitigation and control of Coffee Berry Borer (CBB) and Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) in Hawaii. Both pests are endemic in the islands and continue to pose severe economic and agronomic threats to the state's $56 million coffee industry. 2. Scientific and Economic Basis Coffee Berry Borer (CBB) 1. Endemic status: CBB (Hypothenemus hamper) is now established across all major coffee - growing regions in Hawaii. 2. Economic impact: Management costs for CBB (spraying, strip -picking, labor) are significant. A recent UHERO study estimated that biocontrol interventions could save growers $141.6 million over 50 years, with benefit -cost ratios exceeding 42:1. (The benefit -cost ratio of 42:1 means that for every $1 spent on biocontrol, farmers could expect to get back about $42 in benefits (through higher yields, lower damage, or reduced costs). 3. Persistence: Even with biological control agents (e.g., Phymastichus coffea), CBB remains entrenched, requiring ongoing integrated management. Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) 1. Detection and spread: CLR (Hemileia vastatrix) was first detected in Hawaii in October 2020 and spread to Maui, Hawai'i Island, Oahu, and Lana'i within 12 months. 2. Severity: CLR can reduce yields by 10-80%, depending on infection levels and farm practices. 3. Control costs: Case studies in South Kona showed CLR incidence rising to 77% on some farms within a single season, requiring 5-10 fungicide sprays annually. 4. Long-term outlook: Resistant varieties are the only durable solution, but these are not yet widely available. In the meantime, fungicide rotations, pruning, and sanitation remain costly and labor-intensive. 3. Justification for Subsidy Continuation 1. Endemic nature: Both CBB and CLR are now permanent threats in HawaiTs coffee agroecosystem. 2. High management costs: Farmers face recurring expenses for pesticides, biocontrol agents, and labor. Without subsidies, many small farms cannot sustain operations.