Hawaii Organic Farmers Association

There were four focus groups covering topics on HOFA as an organization, GMO papaya issues, small business planning, and organizing a group fertilizer purchase. Each group had a chance to present the topics covered during the general business meeting.

Following the membership meeting, over 50 people stayed to enjoy live music with John Keawe and a catered dinner. It is always great to visit with organic producers and like minded consumers who get to see each other just once a year. This year’s winner of the honorary Golden O’o Bar Award went to HOFA’s President, Franz Weber. Thank you Franz for all your dedication this past year and keeping HOFA prosperous.

There were a couple new awards given out this year to acknowledge other outstanding people within the organization. ‘Volunteer of the year’ award went to Hannah May; a 14 year old who dedicated nearly one afternoon a week to helping us in the Hilo office. ‘Above and Beyond’ award was presented to Deborah Ward, HOFA’s Secretary, for all her extra help and volunteerism this past year.

Thanks to all who attended the annual meeting, especially those who made the journey from another island. For those of you who could not attend this year’s meeting, you were truly missed and we hope to see you next year.

A big mahalo to this year’s sponsors and donators to the silent auction. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Sponsors

Down to Earth Distributors

Garden Exchange

Growing Solutions

Harmony Farm Supply

Donations

Blue Hawaiian Helicopters

Brewer Environmental Ind.

Huggo’s Restaurant

Kona Brewing Company

KTA Superstores

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

Merriman’s Restaurant

Mountain People’s Warehouse

Natural Pacific Tofu

Nicole LaTessa-L.M.T.

United Horticultural Supply

ORGANIC MINDS WANT TO KNOW

Dear HOFA:

I am a certified organic coffee producer. After wet-milling the coffee beans, my neighbor dry mills and custom roasts my beans. He assures me that he keeps my beans separate from all the others and I only receive my own beans back from him. Does his facility have to be certified organic?

Yes. According to the NOP, §205.100(a) “What has to be Certified”, each handling operation or specified portion of a handling operation that handles products intended to be labeled organic, must be certified according to all applicable requirements of the NOP.

Dear HOFA:

Where can I buy certified organic meat, dairy, and poultry products in Hawaii?

There are currently no certified organic livestock operations in the State of Hawaii. All organic meat and dairy products come from the mainland and are shipped to your local health food stores.

HOFA has distributed several applications to interested livestock operations but has not had any response to date. If you would like to see some of the local grass-fed beef or other island livestock products certified organic, call them and let them know there is a demand for the assurance of certification.

Dear HOFA:

I am a conventional farmer and want to transition to organic. How long do I have to wait before I can get certified?

A farmer that has used prohibited substances must manage the field or parcel organically for three years up to the date of harvest (NOP §205.202(b)). This means that a farmer must follow all requirements under the NOP from the last date a prohibited substance was applied and wait three years to harvest an organic crop.

The Slow Food Movement .

Taste, Tradition, and the Honest Pleasures of Food

For more information: www.slowfoodusa.org

The Movement

The founding father of the Slow Food Movement, Carlo Petrini, recognized in 1986 that the industrialization of food was standardizing taste and leading to the annihilation of thousands of food varieties and flavors. Concerned that the world was quickly reaching a point of no return, he wanted to reach out to consumers and demonstrate to them that they have choices over fast food and supermarket homogenization. He rallied his friends and began to speak out at every available opportunity and soon the movement was born and Slow Food was created. Today the organization is active in 45 countries and has a worldwide membership of over 65,000.

Slow Food U.S.A

Slow Food U.S.A. is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating the food traditions of North America. From the spice of Cajun cooking to the purity of the organic movement; from animal breeds and heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables to handcrafted wine and beer, farmhouse cheeses and other artisanal products; these foods are a part of our cultural identity. They reflect generations of commitment to the land and devotion to the processes that yield the greatest achievements in taste. These foods, and the communities that produce and depend on them, are constantly at risk of succumbing to the effects of the fast life, which manifests itself through the industrialization and standardization of our food supply and degradation of our farmland. By reviving the pleasures of the table, and using our tastebuds as our guides, Slow Food U.S.A. believes that our food heritage can be saved.

Slow Food U.S.A. believes that pleasure and quality in everyday life can be achieved by slowing down, respecting the convivial traditions of the table and celebrating the diversity of the earth's bounty. Our goal is to put the carriers of this heritage on center stage and educate our membership on the importance of these principles. We hope you will join us.

Hawaii Convivium

In October the Hawaii chapter announced that Kalo Poi Taro has been added to the list of Slow Foods and Hawaii sea salt is soon to come.

INDEPENDENT ORGANIC INSPECTORS TRAININGS KALOPA, HI 2004

In the beginning of October HOFA co-sponsored organic inspectors trainings with the Independent Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA). There were two courses offered, crop production and process and handling, each lasting 3 1/2 days. IOIA is the only comprehensive course available for training inspectors on the Federal Organic Rule and how to conduct the inspection process within the scope of the National Organic Program (NOP).

HOFA’s responsibilities as a co-sponsor were to review and accept applicants for the course, organize food, lodging, and curriculum materials, and communicate with the hired trainers. Two trainers, Harriet Behar and Rick Martinez, arrived in Hawaii to facilitate the curriculum during the eight day event. Both trainers have extensive experience in IOIA trainings and are active inspectors on the mainland for various certifying agencies.

HOFA received over 40 applicants from all over the mainland, Hawaii, and Guam. Everyone who attended was required to participate in an on-site mock inspection, complete all class assignments and take a grueling 3 hour final exam. Those who passed the course received a certificate of completion and may go on to apply for inspection positions.

HOFA had two main objectives in co-sponsoring this event. One, to train new inspectors in Hawaii so we can offer better regional selection for our certified producers and two, to expand the pool of knowledge within our current inspectors and Certification Committee. It was an added bonus to have so many people attend from the mainland giving a broad perspective to the trainings.

As successful and productive as the IOIA trainings are, they require a lot of labor to coordinate. Now that we have a wide selection of inspectors, we hope not to have to co-sponsor another one for at least a few years.

Thank you to everyone who donated produce and time to make this event happen. Especially, Hugh Johnson for the use of his mini-bus, Pinner Creek Organics, Dragon’s Eye Ventures, Kona Rainforest Coffee, Abundant Life, and Mountain People’s Warehouse.

Left: Rick Martinez, Training Coordinator Right: Harriet Behar, Training Coordinator

World Food Day: Iraqi farmers aren't celebrating

News Release from GRAIN 15 October 2004

Grain is an international non-governmental organization which promotes the sustainable management and use of agricultural biodiversity based on people’s control over genetic resources and local knowledge.

When the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) celebrates biodiversity on World Food Day on October 16, Iraqi farmers will be mourning its loss.

A new report by GRAIN and Focus on the Global South has found that new legislation in Iraq has been carefully put in place by the US that prevents farmers from saving their seeds and effectively hands over the seed market to transnational corporations. This is a disastrous turn of events for Iraqi farmers, biodiversity and the country's food security. While political sovereignty remains an illusion, food sovereignty for the Iraqi people has been made near impossible by these new regulations.

"The US has been imposing patents on life around the world through trade deals. In this case, they invaded the country first, then imposed their patents. This is both immoral and unacceptable", said Shalini Bhutani, one of the report's authors.

The new law in question heralds the entry into Iraqi law of patents on life forms - this first one affecting plants and seeds. This law fits in neatly into the US vision of Iraqi agriculture in the future - that of an industrial agricultural system dependent on large corporations providing inputs and seeds.

In 2002, FAO estimated that 97 percent of Iraqi farmers used saved seed from their own stocks from last year's harvest or purchased from local markets. When the new law - on plant variety protection (PVP) - is put into effect, seed saving will be illegal and the market will only offer proprietary "PVP-protected" planting material "invented" by transnational agribusiness corporations. The new law totally ignores all the contributions Iraqi farmers have made to development of important crops like wheat, barley, date and pulses. Its consequences are the loss of farmers' freedoms and a grave threat to food sovereignty in Iraq. In this way, the US has declared a new war against the Iraqi farmer.

"If the FAO is celebrating 'Biodiversity for Food Security' this year, it needs to demonstrate some real commitment", says Henk Hobbelink of GRAIN, pointing out that the FAO has recently been cozying up with industry and offering support for genetic engineering. "Most importantly, the FAO must recognize that biodiversity-rich farming and industry-led agriculture are worlds apart, and that industrial agriculture is one of the leading causes of the catastrophic decline in agricultural biodiversity that we have witnessed in recent decades. The FAO cannot hope to embrace biodiversity while holding industry's hand", he added.

For a full version of the text and references sourced log on to: www.grain.org

Hawaii Organic Farmers Association (HOFA)
P.O. Box 6863, Hilo, HI 96720
Phone: (808) 969-7789 Toll Free: (877) 674-4632 Fax: (808) 969-7759
Email: hofa@hawaiiorganicfarmers.org
Copyright 2002