CTAHR eXchange

Special Lecture and Book Signing by Paul Roberts

VincentD — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:54:00 GMT

Paul Roberts, the keynote speaker at the Hawaii Agriculture Conference will be holding a special session Thursday evening, September 4, 2008. Lili'u Theater - from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm....(read more)

Hawaii SuperFerry Offers Discounts for Island Agricultural Products

VincentD — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:37:00 GMT

The Hawaii Superferry has formed a partnership with the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation and the Maui County Farm Bureau . They are offering a 30% discount to qualified farmers and merchants when shipping locally grown and produced goods on Hawaii Superferry. The 30 percent discount off of Hawaii Superferry’s vehicle fares applies when qualified farmers and businesses are solely carrying fresh agricultural products grown wholly in Hawai‘i. This includes, but is not limited to, pineapple, sugar, fruits...(read more)

Hawaii Agriculture Conference - September 4-5, 2008

VincentD — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:39:00 GMT

The 2008 Hawaii Agriculture Conference "Growing with Intention" will be held next week at Hawaii Convention Center. Sponsored by the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii , the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation , the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and the Hawaii State Department of Agriculture , this biennial conference is the ONLY statewide agriculture conference where all of Hawaii's agriculture industry can be together to meet...(read more)

Slow Food Nation: Are you ready for the "Woodstock for Foodies".

VincentD — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:06:00 GMT

Are you ready for Slow Food Nation '08? This weekend, in San Francisco, will be the largest celebration of food in America. Come celebrate at the Taste Pavillions; not a double cheeseburger in sight!. A "Woodstock for Foodies" say some . I'm not sure I can handle so much euphoria. We had the Olympics; then the Waipio Little League winning the Little League World Series; the Democratic National Convention in Denver and now this. An estimate of over 40,000 locavores are about to arrive...(read more)

Seeking a Vision for Agriculture....California Agriculture

VincentD — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:06:00 GMT

To badly paraphrase an old saying "When California agriculture sneezes, Hawaii agriculture catches cold." In fact, we could add "and Hawaii consumers pay more." As consumers of agricultural products, we are closely tied to California Agriculture. Hawaii agriculture is affected by multi-directional traffic between California and Hawaii -- from California we receive produce and other agricultural products (and often when there is a surplus - we often receive some of that surplus...(read more)

Farm Bill Side by Side

VincentD — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:55:00 GMT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service has put together a side by side comparison of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 otherwise known as the 2008 Farm Bill, comparing the different titles between the old legislation (2002) and the new legislation. You can also download the entire legislation as a .pdf. The 2008 Farm Bill enacted into law in June 2008, will govern the bulk of Federal agriculture and related programs for the next 5 years. Its 15 titles include administrative...(read more)

Salmonella Saintpaul....almost over?...

VincentD — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:08:00 GMT

The Centers for Disease Control released its latest update on the food poisoning outbreak due to Salmonella Saintpaul. Cases are still coming forward but for the most part the worst is over. Map from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since April, 1434 persons infected with Salmonella Saintpaul with the same genetic fingerprint have been identified in 43 states, DC and in Canada. At least 273 persons were hospitalized. No cases have been reported in Hawaii. The graphic , from CDC, shows...(read more)

July-August 2008 CTAHR Research News

VincentD — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:41:00 GMT

The July-August 2008 CTAHR Research News is available for downloading. This month we feature the work of Dr. John Hu , Researcher in the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences . John and his lab's team are busily trying to develop solutions to many of Hawaii's plant diseases caused by plant viruses - Banana Bunchy Top Virus, Citrus Tristeza and Pineapple mealybug associate virus. These viruses are a constant threat to growers in Hawaii. At best, these viruses limit the...(read more)

Cost and Return Studies

VincentD — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 22:48:00 GMT

In many states, through the Cooperative Extension Service, agricultural economists have developed tools for farmers to enable them to "push the pencil" electronically, to determine whether a particular crop in a particular location makes economic sense. Unfortunately, few analyses exist in Hawaii. In the mid 1990's, the leadership in the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources decided that having a Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics was a luxury we could no...(read more)

PLU what?

VincentD — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 00:36:00 GMT

When you buy fresh fruit these days, you find this little sticker. Thanks to modern technology, this little sticker can provide the grocer with lots of useful information. Like how much is it, where its from, the grower or marketer, and even sometimes when it was received. These stickers, BTW, are known PLU or "Price Look Up" stickers. Note the 4 or 5 digit numbers on the sticker. This number coding system was developed by the Produce Electronic Identification Board, which is derived from...(read more)

Boring....the Nutrition Label, that is....

VincentD — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:14:00 GMT

When my daughter was younger, and she had to suffer through something that she didn't enjoy - she'd shout out "Boring". It seems that the American public is reacting similarly to reading the standard issue nutrition label. Since 1994 all packaged and processed foods sold in the United States began to carry the standardized nutrition label. The current format along with the accompanying education program, was designed to educate consumers about the nutritional components, fats, carbohydrates...(read more)

Why does it cost more to eat healthy?

VincentD — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:03:00 GMT

I'm a glutton, I admit it. "Buy one, get one free" is my downfall; that and McDonald's Dollar menu Double Cheeseburgers. But I've always wondered, regardless to where I go for food - that why do the healthy choices cost more; that a trip to salad bar at the cafeteria is much more costly than a loco moco? VS VS Recently, Parke Wilde, Joseph Llobrera and Flannery Campbell of the Tufts University Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy has published...(read more)

"Taro, Mauka to Makai" New 2008 edition now available

VincentD — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:15:00 GMT

CTAHR is pleased to announce that a newly revised second edition of Taro Mauka to Makai , A taro production and business guide for Hawaii growers. Since the first edition, published in 1997, interest in growing taro has increased, but with it has the impact of pests and diseases. The revised edition contains much new material to help taro growers overcome production problems and produce sustainable yields. The order form is available. Also for sale is Taro Varieties in Hawaii , a newly reprinted...(read more)

Second Saturday at the Urban Garden Center

VincentD — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 20:13:00 GMT

Every second Saturday, the Oahu Urban Garden Center opens its doors to visitors to learn about gardening. Learn about fruits and vegetables to grow in your home garden. See demonstrations of organic weed management. University of Hawaii Seed Sale and Urban Garden Center Mini Plant Sale! Got a plant question? O’ahu Master Gardeners will answer your gardening questions. See below for more details....(read more)

"Growing Pains" for Agriculture in Hawaii

VincentD — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:17:00 GMT

Al Santoro, President of the Hawaii Cooperative of Organic Farmers in a commentary in the July 27, 2008 Honolulu Advertiser Commentary challenges Hawaii residents about the sustainability of agriculture and the importance of food security. In spite of the talk about the importance of buying fresh and buying local, Al reminds us that we continue to lose farmers. For all the rhetoric and chitchat about food sustainability, our local agriculture industry is in crisis now. Local food is becoming scarcer...(read more)

Hawaii Ag Conference Keynote Speaker

VincentD — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 21:18:00 GMT

The Hawaii Agriculture Conference , on September 4-5, 2008 at the Hawaii Convention Center will be featuring Paul Roberts as the key note speaker at the conference. Mr. Roberts' new book, The End of Food is reviewed by the New York Times on July 25, 2008. The review is below, originally posted in the Forests.org Conservation Newsfeed . Nothing to Eat Source: Copyright 2008, New York Times Date: July 25, 2008 Byline: John T. Edge Original URL Paul Roberts’s prophetic and well-received 2004 book...(read more)

Locavore Nation, Slow Food and the Importance of Agriculture in the Aloha State.

VincentD — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:22:00 GMT

American Public Media's PBS radio program, The Splendid Table , which by the way, is the recipient of the 2008 James Beard Award for best radio food program, is sponsoring Locavore Nation which features 15 bloggers from across the mainland writing about their experiences for one year as they they try to get 80 percent of their food from local, organic, seasonal sources and then to incorporate it into tasty, healthy meals. It's a good time to be starting such a project, in fact one of the...(read more)

Jalapenos recalled....

VincentD — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:53:00 GMT

As the Salmonella Saintpaul food borne illness outbreak appears to be winding down, the FDA announced today that a jalapeno pepper sample was positive for the same genetic finger print of Salmonella saintpaul that has been causing the current outbreak. From the statement from FDA web site : The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that one jalapeno pepper sample is a positive genetic match with the Salmonella Saintpaul strain causing the current Salmonella outbreak. The positive...(read more)

FDA Lifts Tomato Advisory

VincentD — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:33:00 GMT

CNN , Associated Press , and USA Today are all reporting that the FDA has lifted the tomato advisory. The Salmonella saintpaul outbreak that has now sickened 1196 persons, in 42 states, DC and Canada, according to the Centers for Disease Control (as of July 17, 2008), appears to be abating, with the most recent illnesses appearing to be related to the consumption of jalapenos or serrano chile peppers or raw cilantro. A clear cause of the outbreak has yet to be determined. From the CDC: Recently,...(read more)

Save the Date - Hawaii Agriculture Conference - September 4-5, 2008

VincentD — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:08:00 GMT

...(read more)

September Sustainable Agriculture Conferences - Big Island - Mark your calendars!

VincentD — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:03:00 GMT

Western SARE Subregional Conference for Hawai'i Celebrating 20 years of WSARE in Hawaii plus Strategic Planning for HI sustainable agriculture for the next Twenty September 23-24th, 2008 Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort 78-6740 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, 96740 Tel: 808-322-3441 Fax: 808-322-3117 What will be needed to create stronger local food systems that are less reliant on imports from elsewhere? What are the local food production trends in your area? Do you think your local farmers produce...(read more)

Statistically speaking....jalapenos and serranos may have been the source of Salmonella saintpaul....but still not sure...

VincentD — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:49:00 GMT

The outbreak of Salmonella saintpaul in our food continues. The map above is from the July 9, 2008 update from the Centers for Disease Control and illustrates the cases of confirmed Salmonella saintpaul across the country. Since I first reported the outbreak in Sustainable Agriculture , the numbers of cases have increased and continue to increase. My first post on June 12, 2008 there were only 228 cases confirmed. There has been a steady rise in the number of cases since then, to today's report...(read more)

Hawaii State Farm Fair - July 26, 27, 2008 Bishop Museum

VincentD — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:25:00 GMT

The Hawaii State Farm Fair will be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 26, 27, 2008 on the grounds of the Bishop Museum. Go to the Hawaii Farm Bureau web site for more information. Note that the Kapiolani Farmer's Market will be relocated to the Bishop Museum on the weekend of the Hawaii Farm Fair....(read more)

Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S.

VincentD — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:16:00 GMT

The USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) has come out with information on the adoption of genetically engineered crops by U.S. Farmers. The graph below from USDA ERS shows the growth and adoption of herbicide tolerant (Ht) and insecticide resistant using Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), for corn, cotton and soybeans. The extent of adoption of GE crops is also available. For international data see the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications ....(read more)

Salmonella saintpaul on tomatoes...er, fresh salsa...er, we're not exactly sure yet.

VincentD — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:23:00 GMT

Following up of previous reports - Are local tomatoes safe? and Tomato Update , the current outbreak of Salmonella saintpaul is continuing. Since April, 922 persons have been sickened by Salmonella saintpaul . The likely source are red raw tomatoes, red Roma or Plum tomatoes. However, the CDC and FDA are now suggesting that the source of contamination may not be tomatoes, but rather a fresh food item such as salsa made with fresh tomatoes. The map, from the CDC as of July 3, 2008, illustrates the...(read more)