HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0212.291 1996-1998 XAMPLES OF APPROPRI,. fE PUBLIC SPENDINC'1'O PROMOTE blVERSIFIED AGRlCL'LTURE L Ik~'(•l~~
Below are some of my thoughts concerning appropriate public expenditures on technology,
itlfrastruetuto, product developlileni, and market promotion which both county and state governments
should invest in to promote the growth of diversiRed sustaittable%rganic agricultural practices (SOAP).
These suggestions are very rough at. this time and I won't have time to expand on this until after the
university finishes in mid-May.
¦ Money for the ¢ommercialiration of other appropriate noa-nuclear post-harvest treatment
technologies including, but not limited to, both cold and dry heat treatments for pest
control and hot water treatment for media aterillzation. These technologies have been
tested a[ the research level, but are not commercially operational yet. Why not`? The dollar
estimate vn eradication efforts has been concocted through the efforts of the EPIC (F,xotic Pcst
Insect Committee) which has been a very dysfunctional organization. I would like to see a
se;+arate estimate on establishment of fruit fly-free zones. Actually, the Drily fruit Fly we have
in Hawaii which represents a threat to the southern mainland states is the Oriental Fruit Fly.
I suspect there is no hard science which will back the quarantines un the other three fruit flies
(Mediterranean, melon and Malaysian) in terms of their ability to establish on the mainland.
The USDA APHIS regulations are not necessarily based on science which is clear when ortc
compares internatyonal requirements with intersiale restrictioav. The Sharwil avocado case also
clearly points to the fact that I3awaiian agriculture has been kept purposefully disadvantaged
through the policital power of the California and Florida Fruit Growers Associations. There is
a move to establish an internationally acceptable regulation since under GATT and NAETA
differential applications of these regulations will be viewed as unfair trade practices.
Therefore, it is my opinion that Ilawaii will be the proving gmund for irradiation on tropical
foods which, if'passed by the USbA as an appropriate post-harvest technology for compliance
with APHIS regulations, will lay the foundation for transferring I'vod irradiation technologies
to all tropical food producing countries. This plan supports the fads desire to create a n:uket
fur cobalt ti0 technology and also complies with Sethi Naya's (head of 1)liLDT) call For
stimulating }Iawaii's economy through transfer of technologies to Asia.
¦ A4oney for the establishment of a research/commercial beneficial insectary.
Currently, it is illegal tv import SDX beneficial insect into the state of Hawaii, One cannot do
so even through a permitting process unless one is associated with a research arm of the
university. )?ven then, it is extremely difficult. Most commercially available beneficials arc
raised in a laboratory situation and aro considered 99.9% clean of possible parasites (with the
exception of lady bugs which commercial insectaries gather from the wild due to their
availability as a result of mating behavior and the complexity of their diet which would be hard
to simulate in a laboratory situation). Also, only general parasites (Encarsia spp a parasitic
wasp which gives fantastic control of greenhouse and silver back white (ties) and predators
(lady bugs, green lacewings, praying mantis) which have limited benefit to tropical agriculture
are being raised by mainland and European insectaries since these establishments cater to
temperate climate agriculture. We need to support research of beneficials needed for tropical
agriculture since many of the insects that cause economic damage in the tropics arc tither nut
present or do nut cause serious economic damage in temperate climates. '1'imcly release of
beneficials either as "incubation" meaning introduction of beneficials before the negative pest
population is significant or "augmentation" which refers to the release of large numbers of
M Eileon O'Hota-Weir, Dakini EAtmprises 5/INS 1 Comm. Np: Z/:
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beneficials to compact a serious pest outbreak, is a very etl'ecti~ c practice and an essential "tool
of the trade" to organic production and production aimed at reducing pesticide use.
¦ Seed money for the establishment of prototype processed and value-added products
(Ikhydration. Juices. Baby foods, etc.).
The image of Hawaii as a pristine sins with aloha is what sells product from Hawaii. Tf you
look at the marketing of the cut-flower industry (I have'/, acre of oncidium orchids for cut-
flower)you would realize that our only advantage over Thailand and Singapore (producing in
China) is a sense of quality and aloha. it is getting increasingly difficult to keep mainland
markets for tropical cut•flower open in light of the "dumping" oC Thai and Singapore orchids
on the U.S. market. There two counties sell their "firsts" to Japan and dump their "seconds"
on the U.S. market. Tt may not actually constitute "dumping" in the strict economic definition
since the costs of production facod by Thailand and Singapore are so diminutive compared to
Hawaii's cost of production that they may actually be pricing product above their average
variable cost. Still, the market lessons are the same.
lfprocessing ofthe tropics! fruit products were done, we could develop products which could
market the llawaiian image, develop sustainable markets, require increased plantings thereby
increasing agricultural production, attract lower cost transportation options and create many
new jobs and small businesses which our local work force could handle. This is a sustainable
direction for agriculture. Export oriented agriculture is airned at upscale niche marketing which
requires a constant influx of marketing expenditures to identify and open new markets since
these markets are trendy and not long-term
¦ Money for research/development of new fruit varieties which could extend the
season/availability of highly seasonal fruits (L,o¦gan, lychee, etc.).
if we are to have any comparative advantagt in the exotic tropical fruit market, we need to have
our product differeraiated and hit the market at staggered times from the rest oC the producing
countries. This could also provide a source of revenue in terms of raising plants and scion
wood.
¦ The county could providt suitable land for development of a research/demonstration
organic farm.
Already a precedent set on Maui - a 29 acre county ag lot in Kula with a SU year lease was j ust
awarded to HOFA on a li month trial basis. We Hoed to have such farms established in all of
the agro-ecosystems in the state.
¦ Seed money for the establishment of water welts in areas without safCcient supply.
(South Kona, Hamakua -those farmers affecUxi by Bishop's purchase of the water rights to the
Hamakua ditch, Ka'u and Puna)
¦ Rebates to organic farmers to offset the cost of certification as s result of federal
requiremenb.
When the Organic Food Production Act (OFPA) takes effect later this year (its out for 60 days
of public review and expected to be sitgred off by late summer), organizations otTering
certification will neod to pay the fells in order to become accredited. 't'his will costa
M. ~ilem O'Hors-Whir, Dekini Entergrism S/1/97 z
considerable amount ($5-10,000). This cost needs to be supported or it will have to be passed
on to the growers. I recommend that the county subsidize certification costs. Precedent has
already bean set is Kauai in 1994. There arc an estimated 75 certified organic operations in the
state with an untold amount of uncertified production which will soon become illegal under
OFPA.
¦ Money to hold a workshop to train ezistiag pool of inspectoro (approximately 12 orate-wide
from the three certification Qt'oups based [n Hawaii - HOFA, our aY6liate 1COGA, and Bob
Fau¦t), as well as additional new iaspectoro id processing and livestock certification.
We are beginning to get requests for this type of organic production (processing and livestock)
which require different inspection procedures from crops. We need trained inspectors to meet
this demand.
¦ Money to development local marketing networks to faciliWtc local product moving iota the
mast high-valued markets throughout the state [or the purpose of impart subatitutimt.
Supplying product to local markets for import substitution is hampered by the high .osts of
transportation facing individual growers. Through the use of huffs and infonnal coops, some
of the transaction costs (transportation and networking) can be reduced and more effective
matching of supply and demand in the local fresh foods markets can take place.
¦ lnveatments in energy crops should be encouraged:
We need to reduco our dept:rtdency on fossil fuels both in the production ot'electricity and in
liquid fuels. Besides utilizing appropriate technologies involving waste treatment, we mould
be making use of the existing infrastructure for planation agriculture to grow energy crat7~
¦ Implement sustainable forestry practices.
There is great potential far producing tropical lumber crops using sustainable practices rather
than short-term, quick profit schemes such es the pulp wood project.
M. 8ileen O'Hora-Wait, Dekini Enterprises S/1N7 3