Hawaii Organic Farmers Association

The Body & Soil Farm Health Conference accomplished much more than even its visionary director Vince Mina had hoped. Not only was it well attended by HOFA members from all islands, it drew a diverse crowd from the Maui County Farm Bureau, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, several large ag-based corporations and the University of Hawaii. The event gave local farmers the tools they needed to better understand and work around the limitations of farming in the islands. It also provided a healthy dose of excitement that organic farming is the key to the future and that no one can afford to ignore it.

The concept of comparing the health of the soil with human health certainly found a receptive audience in Waikapu, Maui. Attendees compared notes while talking over their organic lunches (provided by several Maui health food stores under the direction of Irene Mina and crew!) It was all about taking the conference’s information back to the farm. “Everyone seemed not only interested in the Body & Soil message, but how to make it happen on their own farms as efficiently and quickly as possible,” says Barbara Santos, the B&S event coordinator.

It was a huge commitment of time. The 150 conference attendees spent three full days at Maui Tropical Plantation listening to the top experts in the fields of soil ecology and body awareness. Even so, evaluations indicated that the attendees would do it all again for the chance to hear Neal Kinsey of Kinsey Ag Services, Elaine Ingham (the diva of microflora, as Vince says) and Bob Shaffer. Integrated into the program were island healing professionals including Dr. Michael Klaper, Dr. Malik Cotter, Joseph Mina, Kathryn Andren, and Debra Greene.

The conference was held July 18-20 at the Maui Tropical Plantation thanks to the generous support of the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association, Maui County Farm Bureau, Maui Coast Hotel, Maui Office of Economic Development, W.SARE-CTAHR, Acres USA, Down To Earth, Mana Foods, Alive & Well, Hawaiian Moons, Dragons’s Den, Westside Natural Foods, Café Romantica, Dept of Ag Statistics, KAOI Radio, Maui News, Aloha Airlines, Avery Chumbley, and dozens of volunteers.

Special Meeting of the HOFA Members

On July 19th, at the Body and Soil Conference on Maui, HOFA held a special membership meeting for the purpose of modifying the by-laws.

Many by-law changes were addressed in order to bring the organization into compliance with the Federal Organic Rule and copies of the proposed changes and proxy ballots were mailed to all Regular members in advance of the meeting. The most significant changes involved:

Eliminating the two types of membership, Regular and Associate, and establishing a single Basic membership category.

Modifying qualifications for Directors such that HOFA-certified members may only serve on the Board of Directors if allowed under the Federal Organic Rule.

Extending Directors’ terms to two years.

Amending the By-Laws to include language governing the formation and operation of HOFA chapters.

Thirty Regular members cast their votes and the modifications were unanimously adopted.

The Federal Organic Rule

– Eileen O’Hora-Weir, Ph.D.

The Federal Organic Rule was made effective on April 21, 2001. Written into the Rule is an 18-month implementation period allowing all certified organic producers and certifying agencies to come into complete compliance with the federal requirements for Organic Agricultural Production and Handling.

This means that by October 21, 2002, to label a product “organic”, it must be produced in accordance with the federal standards and certified by a federally accredited agency.

HOFA was formed in 1993 to provide organic certification to Hawaii’s producers that would meet the requirements of federal and/or state law. With the Rule in place, HOFA hopes to realize its original intention and is preparing to submit its application for federal accreditation. The deadline for the initial round of applications is October 22, 2001. The USDA plans to publish the list of certifying agencies that receive federal accreditation in April 2002.

Preparing for federal accreditation has been a lengthy and involved process for the key people who keep HOFA operating. We hope that the hard work and dedication of the HOFA staff, our Board of Directors, and our Certification Committee are rewarded and the USDA chooses to accredit HOFA.

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