2012-06-26 NKCDP Agriculture Subcommittee Notes Minutes

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NORTH KOHALA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN AGRICULTURE ACTION SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES DATE: Tuesday, June 26, 2012 TIME: 6:00 PM PLACE: North Kohala InterGenerational Center, Kamehameha Park AGENDA CALL TO ORDER: 6:20 PM ATTENDANCE: Frank Cipriani, Adriel Robataile, Kyle Steinhoff WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS: Reviewed the 05/29 Minutes to bring Adriel and Kyle up to speed. REPORTS: OLD BUSINESS; Regarding the Important Ag Lands; Current (IAL) Initiative: Frank Cipriani reported that he had hand-delivered IAL documents, copy of May 29 Ag Action Committee minutes, and an invitation to attend our AC meetings, to Sweet Water LLC d.b.a. Iole, attention; Bennett, and copies of these same docs. to: David Rotstein, Lone Palm, Inc. Re: the Identification of strategically located Ag Land. Frank disclosed a proposal for a BioEnergy Hub prepared by BioFarmsHawaii LLC, for a lease of the 52 acre DLNR shoreline land located makai of the Ho'ea Ag Park. Frank reported that BFH LLC is continuing st their planning and surveying of potential strategic 21 Century Ag sites in our district. Citrus-juicing Co-op & Soil Testing Issues (Old Business): Peter Clapp and Jana Bogs were unable to attend. These issues were tabled pending their input at our next scheduled meeting in July. The rest of the meeting time was taken up with the School(s) Aquaponics Program discussion with Adriel and Kyle. New Business: High School & Middle School Aquaponics Programs with Adriel Robataile and Kyle Steinhoff: Frank reported that Peter Boucher and David Stark; collaborators on the School Aquaponics project, were unable to attend to present their technologies for discussion and merit review. Peter Boucher's consulting contract was reviewed. Frank then presented BFH's design for an Automated Closed-loop Aquaponics Grow-out Platform. Discussions ensued re: technical merit; ways & means of grant-funding and fund-raising programs, logistics, targeting preferred vegetable and fruit crops for use in the School cafeterias, curriculum content, procurement of materials & equipment. It was agreed that we will meet often in the coming weeks and carry out our pre-planning over the summer in preparation for start-up in the fall. Frank Reported being approached by David Fuertes on June 12, requesting a 'Letter of Support' for a USDA 'Farm to School' Grant application, due for submission on June 15. A Support Letter was forwarded for inclusion in the grant application, dated June 14. There being no further business, meeting was adjourned at 7:30pm.