COFFEE IS BIG BUSINESS IN THE ISLANDS.

IN FACT, HAWAII IS THE MAIN SOURCE OF DOMESTICALLY GROWN COFFEE IN THE U.S., BUT CROPS AND FARMS ARE UNDER THREAT FROM DISEASE AND PESTS AND FOR YEARS, THERE’S BEEN A BATTLE TO MAKE SURE COFFEE LABELS THAT READ “GROWN IN HAWAII," ACTUALLY CONTAIN BEANS THAT ARE GROWN HERE.

SO HOW CAN WE BETTER PROTECT HAWAII’S COFFEE INDUSTRY?

TONIGHT’S LIVE BROADCAST AND LIVESTREAM OF INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAI’I START NOW.

¶¶ ¶¶ ALOHA AND WELCOME TO INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAII.

I'M DARYL HUFF.

IT’S HOW MANY OF US GET THAT JOLT TO START OUR MORNING, WITH A CUP OR TWO OF COFFEE.

IT’S BEEN GROWN IN HAWAII FOR MORE THAN 200 YEARS AND OVER TWO CENTURIES, IT’S GROWN INTO ONE OF THE STATE’S TOP INDUSTRIES WITH A VALUE OF MORE THAN $100 MILLION, BUT TODAY, THE CROP FACES A TRIPLE THREAT INCLUDING THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC, AUTHENTICATION ISSUES AND A FAST MOVING FUNGUS THAT CAN WIPE OUT A FARM IN JUST WEEKS.

OUR PANEL TONIGHT WILL DISCUSS WAYS TO KEEP OUR COFFEE INDUSTRY PERCOLATING.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PARTICIPATION IN TONIGHT'S SHOW.

YOU CAN EMAIL OR CALL IN YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOU’LL FIND A LIVE STREAM OF THIS PROGRAM AT PBSHAWAII.ORG AND THE PBS HAWAII FACEBOOK PAGE.

NOW, TO OUR GUESTS.

SUZANNE SHRINER IS A SECOND GENERATION COFFEE FARMER WITH LIONS GATE FARMS IN SOUTH KONA ON HAWAII ISLAND.

COFFEE HAS BEEN FARMED THERE FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.

SHE’S ALSO THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE SYNERGISTIC HAWAII AGRICULTURE COUNCIL, A NONPROFIT THAT REPRESENTS MORE THAN 500 BUSINESSES IN THE COFFEE, PAPAYA, FLORICULTURE AND NURSERY INDUSTRIES.

THOMAS GREENWELL IS A FOURTH‑GENERATION COFFEE FARMER IN KEALAKEKUA ON HAWAII ISLAND.

GREENWELL FARMS WAS FOUNDED BY HIS GREAT‑GRANDFATHER IN 1850.

TODAY, THE COMPANY MAINTAINS AND MANAGES 145 ACRES OF COFFEE ORCHARDS, PRODUCING 100% KONA COFFEE.

SHARON HURD HAS BEEN WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SINCE 2007 AND IS CURRENTLY THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM MANAGER IN THE MARKET DEVELOPMENT BRANCH.

SHE’S A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII WITH A DEGREE IN ZOOLOGY AND HAS 27 YEARS OF SALES AND MARKETING EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY.

AND MELISSA JOHNSON IS A RESEARCH BIOLOGIST WITH THE USDA AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE IN HILO.

SHE EARNED HER BACHELOR’S AND MASTERS DEGREES FROM UH HILO AND WENT ON TO EARN HER PHD IN BOTANY IN CALIFORNIA.

HER CURRENT RESEARCH FOCUSES ON SPECIFIC PEST AND DISEASE CHALLENGES THAT HAWAII COFFEE GROWERS ARE FACING.

GETTING TO IT THAT IN A LITTLE BIT.

LIKE TO ASK, TOM AND SUZANNE, TELL ME WHAT MAKES HAWAII COFFEE SPECIAL.

SOIL?

THE SUN?

WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENCE FROM OTHER COFFEES?

TOM, CAN YOU TELL ME, I MEAN, I LIKE IT.

HOW DO I KNOW IT'S BETTER?

WHAT MAKES IT BETTER?

>> HAWAII IS A VERY UNIQUE GROWING REGION.

KIND OF NORTH OF YOUR AVERAGE GROWING REGION THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

WE GROW DID A LITTLE LOWER ELEVATION BECAUSE OF THAT.

THAN WHAT YOU WOULD CALL HIGH.

IN KONA, ESPECIALLY, WE HAVE MICRO CLIMATE.

KEY ONE TO OUR WATER/SUN, A LOT OF NATURAL SHADE.

AND RAINFALL.

AND PRETTY MUCH THAT'S THE WHAT COFFEE NEEDS.

IT'S HARD TO REALLY SAY WHY OTHER THAN MICROCLIMATE.

THAT'S WHERE I SAY MOST OF THE CREDIT GOES TO.

OF COURSE, THE FARM.

>>John: OF COURSE.

SUZANNE, SPEAKING OF FARMERS, WHAT IS IT, SO SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S KIND A NARROW BAND OF GEOGRAPHY WHERE THIS WORKS, ABOVE A CERTAIN LEVEL, CERTAIN ANGLES, SO ON.

HOW MANY PLACES DO WE HAVE IN HAWAII WHERE YOU CAN GROW COFFEE,?

COULD WE BE GROWING IT IN MORE PLACES?

WHY IS IT WITH TOO MANY DESCRIBED, AFFECTS FLAVOR OF THE BERRY?

>> I THINK TOM NAILED WITH MICRO CLIMATE.

VOLCANIC SOILS ARE VERY UNIQUE.

ESPECIALLY HERE IN KONA.

WE HAVE THE NEW VOLCANIC SOIL.

YOU GET A DIFFERENT FLAVOR WITH THE DIFFERENT SOILS, TASTES VERY DIFFERENT.

KAUAI TASTES DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT.

SOILS ARE MUCH OLDER.

I LIKE TO SAY THAT WE'VE GOT THAT ALOHA VIBE.

OUR COFFEES ARE MELLOW.

THEY'RE SWEET.

LITTLE BIT MUDDY.

A LITTLE CHOCOLATE.

DON'T HAVE A LOT OF BITTERNESS YOU'LL FIND IN OTHER REGIONS IN HIGHER ELEVATION.

VERY BLESSED IN THAT FAVOR.

SECOND QUESTION IS I THINK THERE IS A LOT MORE PLACES WE CAN GROW ESPECIALLY ON THE BIG ISLAND.

SUCH A DIVERSE NUMBER OF VALLEYS PERHAPS ON HAMAKAWA.

DIFFERENT PLACES THAT I THINK OVER TIME, WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND INTO.

>>Daryl: WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE MARKET OUTSIDE?

IS HAWAII COFFEE PRIMARILY EXPORTED?

DO WE HAVE A LARGE MARKET HERE?

WHERE DOES IT GO AND WHAT ARE ITS SELLING QUALITIES AS THE MARKETING PERSON?

>> SELLING QUALITY IS BASICALLY, THE CUPPING THAT KONA COFFEE SCORES.

HAWAII COFFEE SCORED VERY HIGH.

BLIND TASTE TEST.

SO TESTERS DON'T REALLY KNOW WHERE THE COFFEE IS FROM BUT THE SCORES ARE VERY HIGH.

SO THAT IS GOOD THING FOR MARKETING.

IN 2021, YEAH, 20 TO 21, $45 MILLION OF WHAT THEY CALL VALUE UTILIZED PRODUCTION WAS 48.3 MILLION.

OF THAT 48.3, IN THAT YEAR, 11 MILLION WAS EXPORTED.

SO WHERE DID THE DIFFERENCE GO?

PROBABLY TO THE U.S. MAINLAND, MAYBE TOURISTS BUY IT HERE.

48 MILLION IN PRODUCTION, 11 MILLION WAS EXPORTED.

>>Daryl: LET ME ASK MELISSA.

USDA.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PART OF THIS.

WHAT IS THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE QUALITY OF THE COFFEE AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DUPLICATED ANYWHERE ELSE THAT YOU KNOW OF?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SUZANNE AND TOM TOUCHED ON THAT.

KEEP SAYING IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

BECAUSE IT'S TRUE.

REALLY UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT IT GROWS HERE.

VOLCANIC SOILS COMBINED WITH A LOT OF SUN AND NATURAL SHADE THAT TOM MENTIONED.

GET THAT REALLY NICE CLOUD COVER COMING IN OVER THE KONA HILLS.

IN THE AFTERNOON.

KONA GETS THAT TOO.

COFFEE NATURALLY IS AN UNDER STORY PLANT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE IN HAWAII ESPECIALLY DON'T KNOW THAT.

BECAUSE MOST OF OUR PLANTATIONS ARE OPEN SUN.

BUT THE REASON THAT WE CAN DO THAT IS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THAT NATURAL CLOUD COVER COMING IN.

PLANTS NEED THAT THEY DON'T LIKE BEING OUT IN THE OPEN SUN.

IT'S HARD ON THEM.

OTHER PART OF WHY OUR COFFEE IS SO SPECIAL AND UNIQUE, ESPECIALLY BIG ISLAND, I MEAN, WE HAVE AROUND 800 SMALL, MOSTLY FAMILY OWNED FARMS.

AND PEOPLE TEND THEIR FARMS A LOT DIFFERENTLY HERE.

I WOULD SAY THAN THEY WOULD IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

WE DO HAVE ACCESS TO MORE PRODUCTS HERE EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE EXPENSIVE, PROBABLY HAVE MORE INPUT THAN A LOT OF OTHER COUNTRIES ARE PUTTING INTO THEIR COFFEE.

MORE FERTILIZERS THINGS LIKE THAT.

OUR GROWERS PUT A LOT OF TIME AND CARE INTO OUR COFFEE.

PART OF WHY OUR COFFEE SO SPECIAL.

SCORES SO HIGH IN THE WORLD SPECIALTY MARKET.

>>Daryl: MENTIONED MELISSA MADE OF THE CARE YOU PUT INTO THE COFFEE, DESCRIBE WHAT THE OPERATION IS LIKE?

DON'T GO INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU'VE ONLY GOT ‑‑ I SAY ONLY.

I'M SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH FARMS ON THE MAINLAND.

PEOPLE HAVE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF HUNDREDS OF ACRES.

IS 145 ACRES, IS THAT A BIG FARM?

SMALL FARM FOR HAWAII?

WHAT IS IT LIKE OPERATING ON YOUR FARM?

WHAT IS YOUR END PRODUCT THAT YOU ULTIMATELY SELL TO SOMEONE?

>> YEAH, WE HAVE 140 OR MORE ACRES.

MADE UP OF ABOUT 8 OR 9 FARMS.

SMALLER FARMS.

WE HAVE A COUPLE, 35‑ACRE FARMS.

DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW CLOSE TO 200 ACRES EVENTUALLY.

WE ALSO HAVE SOME THREE ACRE AND FIVE ACRE FARMS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES AS FAR AS FARMING GOES.

WE DO LARGER FARMS, USE TRACTORS AND SPREADERS.

ONE GUY CAN MANAGE 35‑ACRE FARM.

WHERE WHEN WE MOVE OUT TO THE SMALLER FARMS, WE HAVE A CREW OF MEN THAT WORKED TOGETHER.

PUT ON BACKPACKS AND HIKING SHOES AND BIG BOOTS AND THEY GET OUT IN THE FIELD.

AND EVERYTHING IS DONE BY HAND.

WE HAVE REALLY GOOD SOURCE OF NUTRIENTS.

AVAILABLE TO US.

MICRONUTRIENTS.

WE CAN KIND OF TWEAK THE TREES A LITTLE BIT.

WHEN THEY NEED IT.

>>Daryl: WHEN YOU'RE DONE, WE SAW PICTURES OF PEOPLE PULLING BERRIES OFF OF TREES, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BERRIES AFTER THAT.

>> TAKE, IT GOES TO THE PROCESSING PLANT.

DEPULP OR REMOVE THE PULP FROM THE BEANS.

FERMENT IT OVERNIGHT.

DRY IT IN THE MORNING.

START DRYING IT.

AND MECHANICALLY DRY, TAKE ABOUT 48 HOURS OR IN THE SUN, CAN TAKE UP TO 7 DAYS.

THEN BEANS GO AND THEY REST FOR A WHILE AND THEN WE TAKE IT TO A MILL WHERE WE REMOVE THE PARCHMENT FROM THE BEAN.

NOW, THAT'S WHERE THE GREEN BEAN, TRADEING COMMODITY, COFFEE GREEN, GREEN COFFEE BEANS.

OR FROM THERE, GOES TO THE ROASTING.

>>Daryl: SUZANNE, PROCESS, DO YOU ALSO, YOU SAY GO TO THE ROASTER.

WHERE IS THE ROASTER?

LIKE A CENTRALIZED PLACE EVERYBODY TAKES THEIR COFFEE AND IT GETS ROASTER?

OR EACH INDIVIDUAL FARM HAS A ROASTER?

>> HAVING PROBABLY U.H.

CTAHR 1400 FARMERS.

MOST OF THESE FARMERS DON'T PROBABLY ROAST THEMSELVES.

I WOULD GUESS UNDER A COUPLE HUNDRED SMALLER STATE FARMS WOULD TAKE IT ALL THE WAY THEMSELVES.

A LOT OF THEM ROAST ON THEIR FARM.

TOM ROASTS ON THEIR FARM.

WE ROAST IT ON THE FARM.

TAKE TO A ROASTER OR ROAST IT THEMSELVES.

>> 4.5 ACRES, 5 ACRES.

SMALL FAMILY FARMS RUNNING THESE BUSINESSES.

>>Daryl: YOU'VE GOT THIS HUGE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL PLOTS OF LAND.

SOUNDS LIKE A LOT TO ME.

MAYBE I'M JUST NAIVE.

SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL PLOTS VERSUS VERY LARGE PROCESSORS.

IS THOSE INDIVIDUAL PLOTS DUE TO THE FACT THAT JUST TERRAIN IS SO DIFFICULT, OR WOULD IT BE BETTER, MORE EFFICIENT IF THEY WERE LARGER FARMS INSTEAD OF ALL OF THESE INDIVIDUAL ONES?

MELISSA, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE THAT ON?

>> SURE.

I THINK IT ALSO GOES BACK TO THAT FIRST QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED.

WHICH IS WHAT MAKES HAWAII COFFEE SO SPECIAL AND UNIQUE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE ALL COFFEE ON THE BIG ISLAND ALL HAND PICKED.

TIES INTO THE TERRAIN.

EVER WALKED AROUND IN KONA, VERY ROCKY.

TREES ARE PLANTED TOGETHER VERY CLOSELY AND TIGHT ROW.

SO REALLY ONLY ENOUGH ROOM FOR A PERSON TO WALK THROUGH.

AND PICK.

AND AS YOU MIGHT KNOW, LABOR IN HAWAII IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND THAT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT GROWERS IN HAWAII FACE.

HOW DO WE GET ENOUGH PEOPLE WILLING TO GO OUT THERE AND PICK ALL OF COFFEE FROM THE TREES.

TIES INTO THE PEST PROBLEMS THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER TOO.

>>Daryl: SHARON IN TERMS OF FROM THE AG DEPARTMENT, WHAT KIND OF THINGS CAN YOU DO OR ARE BEING DONE AT THAT LEVEL TO ENCOURAGE SUCCESS OF MULTIPLE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES?

IT MUST BE KIND OF DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH AN INDUSTRY THAT HAS GOT SO MANY DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL FARMERS WORKING ON IT.

>> ACTUALLY, WE PROMOTE STATEWIDE.

REALLY NOT THAT DIFFICULT.

TAKE THE 1400 FARMERS SUZANNE MENTIONED, TAKE TOMMY'S VOLUME OF COFFEE.

WENT JUST LAST WEEK, I WAS AT DUBAI IN THE UNITED EMIRATES.

BIGGEST REGIONAL TRADE SHOW IN THE MIDDLE EAST CALLED GAFUD.

IN THAT REGION, THEY DON'T GROW VERY MUCH AT ALL.

SO MOST OF IT IS IMPORTED.

HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL HAD A PRESENCE.

WE HAD TWO VENDORS.

ONE WAS THE KONA NATURALS COFFEE.

AND THE OTHER VENDOR WAS HAWAII FOOD COURTS.

BIG HITS.

WHAT IS THE DEPARTMENT DOING TO PROMOTE COFFEE?

PAID FOR THE BOOTH.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WE PAID FOR THE BOOTH.

DOUG MCKENNA FROM KONA NATURALS.

>> HE HAD A STEADY STREAM OF INTERESTED CUSTOMERS.

TOLD THE CONTRACTOR WE WORK WITH, ONLY LOOKING FOR THAT TOP TIER, RITZ‑CARLTON.

I JUST WANT THESE PEOPLE.

HE MET WITH THEM.

AND CAME AWAY WITH SOME GREAT FEEDBACK.

STATE MARKETS, TO BE FAIR AND EQUAL TO BE ALL, MARKET TO ALL IN THE STATE.

DON'T REALLY TAKE ONE ISLAND OR ONE COUNTY AND PROMOTE THAT.

IT'S NOT HARD TO SELL HAWAII COFFEE.

LET ME TELL YOU.

IT IS ALMOST LIKE AN ATTITUDE.

WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE DRINKING CUP OF COFFEE.

DRIFT OFF.

AND THE BRANDING IS HAWAIIAN.

AND AS TOMMY AND SUZANNE KNOW, KONA COFFEE IS WELL‑KNOWN.

SLIVER.

COFFEE AFICIONADO.

COFFEE ASSOCIATION CATERS TO.

GENERAL SENSE, WE DO WITH THE DEPARTMENT, WE PROMOTE HAWAIIAN COFFEE.

>>Daryl: VIEWER QUESTIONS.

GETTING A FEW IN.

QUESTION WE'LL PROVOKE A LOT OF DISCUSSION.

HOW CAN THEY MARKET COFFEE WITH ONLY 2% KONA COFFEE AS KONA COFFEE?

START WITH YOU ON THAT.

YOU THINK WE'RE ALL A LITTLE CONFUSED BY THE PERCENTAGES THAT ARE OUT THERE.

YOU GO TO SOME PLACE IN TOWN AND YOU'LL SAY, 10% KONA.

OR 10% SOME OTHER THING.

AND YOU GO, WELL, WHAT IS THE REST OF IT?

THEN OTHER TIMES YOU BUY 100% KONA HAWAII COFFEE.

AND IT'S REALLY EXPENSIVE.

I WAS CURIOUS.

SO ANSWER THE QUESTION FOR THE VIEWER.

HOW CAN THEY MARKET COFFEE WITH ONLY 2% KONA COFFEE AS KONA COFFEE?

>> WE FOLLOW THE LAW.

GOVERNMENT ENTITY FOLLOWS THE LAW.

EVERY YEAR IN THE LEDGE, AS IS AGAIN THE CASE THIS YEAR, THERE'S A BILL TO SAY YOU CAN'T MARKET ANYTHING THAT IS LESS THAN I THINK IT'S 51% OF KONA AS KONA.

BUT REMEMBER ONE THING, TO THE VIEWER THAT SENT IN THE QUESTION, OUR LAWS ONLY PERTAIN TO THE STATE OF HAWAII.

OUR LAWS DO NOT GO BEYOND OUR STATE.

WE CAN'T IMPLEMENT WHAT GOES ON IN THE MAINLAND.

AND LAW CURRENTLY SAYS WE CAN CALL 10% BLEND KONA.

YOU CAN SAY, KONA.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE 2% COMES FROM.

MAYBE SUZANNE OR MARISA OR TOMMY KNOW.

I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE 2%.

SOMETIMES THEY'LL SAY HAWAIIAN BLEND.

2% KONA.

MAYBE THAT'S IT.

>>Daryl: SUZANNE, CURIOUS AS TO WHAT IS GOING ON THERE?

WHEN IT'S BLENDED, IS IT BLENDED HERE LIKE DO PEOPLE BRING IN COFFEE FROM OTHER PLACES AND MIX IT UP HERE AND THEN GET THAT BAG TO THE STORE?

OR DOES IT GO OFF TO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THEN GET REPACKAGED AND BROUGHT BACK HERE OR SOLD TO OTHER PLACES?

>> IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

HAWAII IS UNIQUELY PROBABLY ONE OF THE ONLY COFFEE REGIONS IN THE WORLD THAT ALLOWS IMPORTED COFFEE INTO THEIR GROWING REGIONS.

VERY DANGEROUS.

VECTOR FOR PEST AND DISEASE.

FARMERS REALLY WANT TO BLOCK THAT.

WE GOT WANT THIS FOREIGN COFFEE IN OUR FIELDS OR NEAR OUR FIELDS.

10% BLEND IS VERY CHALLENGING BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 90% FOREIGN BEANS.

YOU'RE NOT REALLY GOING TO EVER TASTE THE KONA OR THE MAUI OR THE KAHALUU IN THE 10% BLEND REALLY JUST MARKETING OFF THE NAME AND MAKING VERY GOOD LIVING OFF OF IT.

IT COMES OFF THE SKIN OF THE FARMER'S BACK BECAUSE THAT DOES IMPACT OUR BOTTOM LINE.

PEOPLE WOULD BUY A CUP OF COFFEE, FAST FOOD PLACE, LABELED AS A KONA BLEND, HAVE A BAD CUP OF COFFEE, THEN NEVER WANT TO TRY GOOD CUP OF 100% KONA.

OR EVEN A 51% BLEND.

THAT'S KIND OF OUR COMPROMISE IN THE LEDGE THIS YEAR.

ASKING FOR A 51% BLEND PHASED IN OVER TIME.

REALLY WHAT THE GROWERS WANT TO SEE.

>>Daryl: TOM, THAT MUST BE REALLY DISTRESSING TO HEAR WHAT SHARON JUST SAID.

ONLY PLACE EVEN ALLOWS THESE COFFEES TO COME IN AND CREATES PEST ISSUES AND SO ON.

WHERE IS THE PRESSURE COMING FROM THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO HAVE OUR OWN PRODUCT WITHOUT IT BEING DELUDED?

>> YOU KNOW, WAY BACK, WHEN ALL I CAN SAY IS WHEN I GOT IN THE BUSINESS, IN 1985, AND IT WAS BASICALLY BLENDERS WHO BOUGHT THE COFFEE IN KONA.

AND I GUESS AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS A SMALL 100% MARKET.

RIGHT?

AND WE WENT IN FOR 51% BLEND LAW.

CAME OUT WITH A 10%.

ALL LOOKED AT EACH OTHER, SAID, WHAT HAPPENED?

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CAME FROM.

>>Daryl: I SEE.

SORRY TO INTERRUPT.

YOU'RE SAYING THAT EVEN PREDATES YOU.

BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN THE INDUSTRY WAS IN ITS INFANCY AND MARKET WAS THE BLENDER SOUNDS LIKE.

IF YOU WERE GOING TO SELL YOUR COFFEE, THAT WAS WHO WAS IN THE MARKET.

IS USDA INVOLVED IN THIS AT ALL?

SOMETHING COULD BE FEDERALLY REGULATED ISSUE?

>> MY FACILITY IS NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THAT.

WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON RESEARCH.

SO YEAH.

THAT MIGHT BE BETTER QUESTION.

>>Daryl: LET ME ASK YOU THIS.

WHERE ARE ALL OF THESE OTHER COFFEES COMING FROM THAT ARE GETTING BLENDED DO THEY POSE A THREAT TO THE LOCAL GROWERS?

>> SUZANNE MIGHT KNOW BETTER AND THOMAS WELL.

WHERE THE COFFEES ARE COMING IN.

I SUSPECT THEY'RE COMING FROM MOSTLY SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA AND ALSO AFRICA PROBABLY.

BUT THEY CERTAINLY DO STAND A CHANCE OF BRINGING IN PESTS AND DISEASES.

GREEN COFFEE IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUMIGATED BEFORE IT'S BROUGHT IN.

AND SO IN THEORY, THAT SHOULD PREVENT PESTS FROM BEING BROUGHT IN WITH COFFEE.

BUT WE STILL DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW COFFEE BERRY BORER CAME INTO HAWAII.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN ON PASSENGERS, ON FLIGHTS.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN BY WORKERS UNSUSPECTINGLY FROM OTHER COUNTRIES.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WORKERS THAT COME HERE TO PICK THE COFFEE SPECIFICALLY.

THEY TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.

SO IT COULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN THAT WAY.

BUT YEAH, EVEN UNTREATED COFFEE IS A BIG ISSUE.

AND OTHER PLANT PARTS TOO.

>>Daryl: SHARON, WHAT IS THERE TODAY, WHAT IS THE REASON TODAY THAT THIS IS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN?

>> ARE YOU GOING TO SELL ONE BAG OF 10% KONA BLEND OR SEVEN DOLLARS?

OR ARE YOU GOING TO ‑‑ I'M SORRY.

SELL TEN BAGS OF 10% KONA BLEND FOR SEVEN DOLLARS?

ARE YOU GOING TO SELL ONE BAG OF 100% KONA COFFEE, BEST COFFEE IN THE WORLD, FOR THIRTY DOLLARS?

IT'S A PRICE THING.

SO YOU'RE A TOURISTS, COMING IN FOR OMEYAGI, GOING TO BUY TEN BAGS OF THE SEVEN DOLLARS COFFEE.

THINKING THAT YOU'RE BUYING SOMETHING FROM HAWAII.

REALLY BUYING 90% SOMETHING FROM PROBABLY GUATEMALA OR SOMETHING.

IT'S PRICE.

>>Daryl: GET BACK TO THE SAME QUESTION.

I DON'T GET WHY WE CAN'T ‑‑ I'LL ASK.

SUZANNE, COULD THE INDUSTRY SURVIVE WITHOUT THE BLENDERS DOING THIS?

REGARDLESS OF PRICE POINT, COULD YOU BE ABLE TO PRODUCE, HAVE A MARKET THAT WOULD SUSTAIN YOU IF ALL YOU DID, IF IT WAS ALWAYS 100% HAWAII COFFEE?

>> ABSOLUTELY YES.

GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

WE GROW ABOUT 2 MILLION POUNDS OF COFFEE IN THE STATE.

BUT ESTIMATES SAY THAT 20 MILLION POUNDS OF KONA IS SOLD ON THE MAINLAND.

SO THAT IS A LOT OF FRAUDULENT COFFEE.

LAST TWO YEARS HERE IN HAWAII.

WE HAVE NOT HAD TOURISTS.

RESTAURANTS HAVE BEEN SEVERELY RESTRICTED.

ALL THE PLACES THAT NORMALLY SELL BLENDS HAVE BEEN SHUT FOR BUSINESS.

YET, FOR THE AVERAGE FARMER.

SELLING MORE COFFEE THAN EVER BEFORE.

WORK FROM HOMERS AROUND THE WORLD.

OUR PRICES HAVE GONE UP.

SO COUNTER TO THE ARGUMENT THAT IF WE PULL THE BLENDS OUT, WE'RE GOING TO KILL OUR MARKET, WE'RE ACTUALLY THRIVING WITHOUT THE BLENDS.

AND WE'RE FIGHTING REALLY HARD IN THE LEGISLATURE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

BECAUSE WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT THE VALUE OF KONA GOES UP PROTECT OUR BRAND NAME.

>>Daryl: SHARON, I JUST GOT TO ASK THIS QUESTION AGAIN.

SO WHERE IS THE ‑‑ WHO COMES IN AND MAKES THE ARGUMENT THAT IT SHOULD BE LIMITED TO 50% OR 10%?

I MEAN, WHERE IS THE LEVERAGE AT THE LEGISLATURE?

WHO ARE THE PEOPLE COMING IN THERE AND SOMEBODY CONVINCING OUR LEGISLATORS THAT THEY CAN'T JUST DO THIS AND PROTECT THE LOCAL INDUSTRY?

I'M NOT A PROTECTIONIST, BUT IT STRIKES ME THAT THE MIDDLE GROUND IS SO SQUISHY, IT'S HARD TO FIND A MIDDLE GROUND.

>> YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.

WHERE IS THE DEMAND?

I SUGGEST YOU GO INTO THE LEGISLATIVE HAWAII LEGISLATIVE WEBSITE.

READ THE TESTIMONY.

READ THE TESTIMONY.

WHO IS FOR IT.

WHO IS AGAINST IT.

FARMERS ARE FOR IT.

THEY SUPPORT THE 51% BLEND.

SUZANNE AND TOMMY SAID.

PEOPLE TESTIFYING AGAINST IT, ARE THE ONES THAT ARE THE RETAILERS, DISTRIBUTERS, BLENDERS, ONES THAT HAVE THE MONEY PIECE.

THE ONES THAT WANT TO MAKE THE SALE.

TESTIFIERS ARE THE ONES THAT I THINK YOU WOULD GO TO.

ONES THAT ARE DOING THE BLENDING AND RETAIL.

>>Daryl: VERY INTERESTED IN THIS.

PROBABLY PUSHING THIS MORE THAN I SHOULD.

I GOT 35 MINUTES TO GO.

I'LL FASCINATED BY THIS AS A CONCEPT.

OKAY, SO LET'S SAY I HAD A TON OF MONEY.

I WANTED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

WANTED TO MAKE IT SO 100% OF KAUAI COFFEE SOLD AT 100% HAWAII COFFEE.

SOME INVESTMENT HAS TO BE MADE IN THE MIDDLE SECTION OF THIS CHAIN THAT GOES FROM THE FARMER TO THE BUYER THAT HAS TO BE MADE TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM?

OR COULD IT EXIST ON ITS OWN WITHOUT SOMEONE MAKING AN INVESTMENT, SAY, IN A GIANT ROASTING OR MARKETING OR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM?

>> OKAY, DARYL, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE WE HAVE, EXPORT INTO THE STATE.

EXPORT, DONE SOME DIGGING INTO THIS.

I'M GOING TO ANSWER THE QUESTION WITH SOME STATISTICS.

SO FROM THE WORLD TO THE WORLD, GUESS WHO THE NUMBER 2 COFFEE EXPORTER IS?

FIRST ONE IS BRAZIL.

SECOND ONE IS SWITZERLAND.

SWITZERLAND EXPORTS, NUMBER 2 MARKET.

NOW, HOW CAN THAT BE?

SWITZERLAND DOESN'T GROW A SINGLE BEAN OF COFFEE.

ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

THEY IMPORT, OH, GOSH, SWITZERLAND IMPORTS, IN 2020, THEY IMPORTED, PUT IT THIS WAY.

COFFEE THEY IMPORTED FROM THE WORLD, FROM BRAZIL AND COLUMBIA, MINUS AS COMPARED TO THE AMOUNT OF COFFEE THEY EXPORTED, NUMBER 2 EXPORT, WAS $2 BILLION.

SO THE MONEY IS IN.

ROASTING AND THE RESELLING IS A VALUE ADDED PRODUCT.

IS THAT IS WHERE THE MONEY IS.

FARMER GETS WHAT THEY GET.

WHICH IS GENERALLY NOT VERY MUCH.

I'M GOING TO ESTIMATE MAYBE KONA COFFEE FARMER GETS TEN DOLLARS, $11, $12 A POUND.

TAKE THAT.

SPLIT IT 10% ALL OVER.

AND GOING TO MAKE A LOT MORE MONEY AS A ROASTED 10% BLEND RETAIL PRODUCT.

SWITZERLAND BEST EXAMPLE OF THAT.

REALLY EYE‑OPENER.

>>Daryl: IT DOES HELP.

BUT TOM, YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ON THIS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO ANOTHER SUBJECT?

I SEE YOU IN YOUR CHAIR, GOING, YEAH.

>> YEAH.

IT IS.

ABOUT MONEY.

AND YOU KNOW, IF KONA IS LIMITED SUPPLY OF COFFEE.

MAUI HAS A LIMITED SUPPLY.

KAUAI HAS PRETTY BIG SUPPLY, BUT IT'S GONE, FINITE NUMBER AMOUNT OF COFFEE THERE.

KA'U.

AND BLENDER CAN TAKE IT AND TEN‑FOLD.

AND HE'S SELLING KONA.

THEY'RE SELLING HAWAII.

AND THAT'S WHY THEY DO IT.

THAT'S WHY THEY FIGHT VERY HARD TO NOT HAVE THE PERCENTAGE CHANGE.

>>Daryl: I THINK I UNDERSTAND NOW.

SO SUZANNE, I GUESS THE TRICK IS TO ESSENTIALLY MAKE THEM NOT ABLE TO LABEL IT KONA OR KAUAI COFFEE OR HAWAII COFFEE OR KA'U, BUT WE CAN'T CONTROL WHAT THEY LABEL IT BECAUSE ALL WE CAN CONTROL IS WHAT'S IN THE STATE OF HAWAII?

>> CORRECT.

WE'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE FEDERAL POWERS THAT BE THAT IF WE CAN ENACT A 51% RULE HERE, THAT WE CAN START WORKING THAT ON THE MAINLAND AS WELL.

ORANGE JUICE DID THAT.

FLORIDA, AND THEN MOVED INTO A FEDERAL ISSUE.

ORANGE JUICE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE EARLY 80s.

JUST A MORE POWERFUL LOBBY.

I THINK THAT IS ON THE DOCKET FOR US DOWN THE LINE.

FIRST WE HAVE TO CONSIDER, CONVINCE OUR LEGISLATORS THAT WE'RE NO LONGER A PLANTATION ECONOMY WITH COFFEE OR ANY OF OUR PRODUCTS.

STATE ECONOMY VERTICALLY INTEGRATED.

SMALL FARMS CAN BE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE WHEN WE SUPPORT THEM.

>>Daryl: I HAVE TO START MOVING ON.

BIG PILE OF QUESTIONS.

IGNORING WITH MY OWN FASCINATION WITH THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.

ANOTHER INTERESTING QUESTION WE GOT.

DO THE IMPORTED COFFEES USED IN BLENDS HAVE TO COMPLY WITH MINIMUM GRADE STANDARDS THAT HAWAIIAN COFFEES ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH.

WHICH ONE OF YOU WOULD BE THE BEST ONE TO ANSWER.

WHAT IT GOES TO IS WHAT IS THE KONA OR HAWAII COFFEE BEING MIXED IN WITH AND IS IT ALWAYS KONA COFFEE?

HAWAII COFFEE?

SOMETIMES SLIPPING IN OTHER KINDS OF COFFEE AND HOW DO WE EVEN KNOW?

>> I'LL LET TOM ANSWER THAT.

>>Daryl: GO AHEAD.

>> NO.

THERE ARE NO GRADE STANDARDS FOR THE COFFEE THAT IS IMPORTED TO BLEND WITH KONA.

I MEAN, I'VE HEARD OF COFFEE BEING BLENDED WITH QUALITY, VERY LOW QUALITY EVEN, ROBUST STUFF.

I MEAN, THAT IS REALLY DESTROYING OUR IMAGE.

>>Daryl: I GOT A QUESTION ALONG THOSE LINES.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROBUSTA AND ARABICA COMMON TO BLEND THE TWO.

WAY OF KNOWING WHETHER YOU'RE GETTING GOOD COFFEE WHEN YOU'RE BUYING A BLEND?

10% BLEND?

SUZANNE?

>> WELL, DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ARABICA AND ROBUSTA, COMES DOWN TO THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE TREE.

PROBABLY ADDRESS THAT BETTER.

VERY DISTINCT FLAVORS.

>> ROBUSTA MORE LIKE FOLGERS LEVEL COFFEE, HIGH IN CAFFEINE.

CHEAP TO GROW.

BIGGEST ROBUSTA GROWER IN THE WORLD PROBABLY VIETNAM.

SECOND INDONESIA.

VERY, VERY INEXPENSIVE.

IF YOU TASTE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ARABICA AND ROBUSTA, QUITE DISTINCT.

>>Daryl: WHEN I BUY THIS 10% BLEND, WILL TO TELL ME IF I'M GETTING ROBUSTA OR ARABICA OR JUST SAY 10%?

DON'T TELL ME THAT.

>> NO.

>>Daryl: ALL RIGHT.

MELISSA START GETTING SOME OF THE THREATS, PEST THREATS THAT YOU DEAL WITH SO MUCH.

WHAT ARE THE BIG THREATS RIGHT NOW AND HOW ARE WE DOING WITH THEM AND HOW BIG A THREAT ARE THESE TO THE FARMERS.

>> SURE.

I GUESS I'LL START AT THE BEGINNING.

PRIOR TO 2010, WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MAJOR PESTS OR DISEASES OF COFFEE.

AT LEAST NOTHING THAT WAS REALLY CATASTROPHIC FOR THE INDUSTRY.

GROWERS COULD DO THE BASIC CARE FOR THEIR PLANTS.

DO THE FERTILIZEIZATION AND PRUNERS AND HARVESTING.

WHAT THEY NEEDED DO HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD CROP.

COFFEE BEARER DETECTED IN 2010 IN KONA, VERY TINY BEETLE.

BORES INTO THE COFFEE BERRY ITSELF.

AND IN THROUGH THE PAST THE PULP.

INTO THE BEAN.

WHICH IS WHAT YOU DRINK.

IT LAYS OFF SPRING IN THE BEAN, OFF SPRING DEVELOP.

AS THEY DEVELOP, THEY EAT THE BEAN.

ESSENTIALLY RUINS THE COFFEE BEAN.

THAT HAS BEEN OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS.

GROWERS HAVE HAD TO TOTALLY CHANGE THE WAY THAT THEY GROW COFFEE BECAUSE OF IT.

NOW THEY HAVE TO DO A LOT OF SANITATION IN ORDER TO KEEP THOSE PESTS LEVELS AT MANAGEABLE LEVELS.

SO AT THE END HARVEST, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THEY NEED TO DO IS REMOVE ANY REMAINING BERRIES ON THE TREES ON THE GROUND.

LIMITS REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE OF THIS COFFEE BERRY BORER.

REPRODUCE OFF SEASON OLD BERRIES ON THE TREES AND GROUND.

HUNDRED AND HUNDREDS OF INSECTS IN EACH BERRY.

STARTING NEW COFFEE SEASON, STARTING HIGH INFESTATION LEVEL.

HARD TO COME BACK FROM THAT.

WHAT WE FOUND IN OUR LAST TEN YEARS OF RESEARCH ON COFFEE BERRY BORER, SANITATION HUGELY IMPORTANT.

BACK TO THE PROBLEM OF LABOR.

ALL OF THIS COFFEE IS HAND PICKED FOR HARVEST, HAS TO BE HAND REMOVED AT THE END OF THIS SEASON FROM ALL OF THESE TREES.

NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO DO THAT.

A LOT OF LEFTOVER COFFEE ON THE TREES AND GROUND.

CREATES THIS PERPETUAL CYCLE OF REINFESTATION.

THEN IN 2020, WE GOT SECOND BIG INCURSION, FUNGAL PATHOGEN CALLED COFFEE LEAF RUST, MOST OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT BY NOW.

TERRIBLE FUNGUS.

EFFECTS MANY OTHER COFFEE GROWING REGIONS AROUND THE WORLD.

BECAUSE WE'RE SO ISOLATED, ONE OF THE LAST PLACES THAT GROWS COFFEE THAT GOT COFFEE BERRY BORER AND COFFEE LEAF RUST.

A LOT OF RESEARCH PESTS AND DISEASE.

WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO MANAGE THEM IN HAWAII'S VERY UNIQUE CLIMATE WITH ALL OF OUR VERY SMALL FARMS THAT ARE PACKED TOGETHER IN TIGHT CLUSTER.

AND IT'S MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE TO GROW COFFEE AND DO EVERYTHING THAT IT GROWER NEEDS TO DO HERE IN HAWAII COMPARED TO PLACES OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA, AFRICA.

LABOR IS CHEAP.

COFFEE LEAF RUST BIG PROBLEM NOT BECAUSE IT JUST AFFECTS QUALITY OF COFFEE YOU'RE DRINKING, BUT AFFECTS THE PLANT IT SEARCH.

FUNGUS ATTACKS‑ITSELF.

FUNGUS ATTACKS LEAVE.

CAUSES LEAVES TO DROP OVER TIME.

PLANT CAN'T PHOTOSYNTHESIZE ANY MORE.

CAN LEAD NOT JUST TO CROP LOSS AND REDUCE YIELDS, BUT CAN CAUSE PLANT DEATH.

I WOULD SAY COFFEE LEAF RUST IS A HUGE THREAT UNLIKE ANYTHING THAT HAWAII HAS EVER DEALT WITH IN THE PAST.

>>Daryl: I UNDERSTAND FROM SOME OF MY READING.

>> ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS TO THE RUST ISSUE IS LITERALLY FINDING STRAINS OF COFFEE WHERE THEY'VE MANAGED TO RESIST IT AND PLANTING THEM HERE.

HAVE I GOT THAT RIGHT?

AND THEN TOM, YOU HAD THESE PLANTS, I MEAN, IS THAT REALISTIC TO BE REPLACING THEM STEADILY WITH ANOTHER STRAIN?

HOW DO YOU EVEN DO THAT?

>> IF YOU, YOU KNOW, REPLANT OUR FARM ABOUT EVERY 20‑WELL, SUPPOSED TO REPLANT ABOUT EVERY 25 YEARS.

FOR US, WE DO HAVE RUST RESISTANT TREES THAT WERE BROUGHT IN IN THE 90s THROUGH THE LEGAL CHANNELS.

THROUGH QUARANTINE, GROWN OUT WITH THE HELP OF HAWAII AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER.

AND WE HAD THEM HERE ON THE FARM.

THEY'RE DOING GREAT.

AND BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OLD FARMS IN KONA.

HUNDRED‑YEAR‑OLD TREES.

AND KIND OF HARD TO CUT THEM DOWN, TAKE THEM OUT AND REPLANT.

I'M GOING TO TRY AND SURVIVE, KEEP THEM SURVIVING.

SOME OF THESE TREES ARE PLANTED BY MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER IN 1900.

WALK OUT THERE.

IT'S LIKE, YEAH,.

>>Daryl: LIKE FAMILY.

>> IT'S FAMILY.

YEAH.

BUT YOU KNOW, THE RUST RESISTANT TREES WILL BE PART OF SURVIVING THIS BATTLE.

RUST IS NOT GOING TO ALL OF A SUDDEN ONE DAY, STOP LIKE THE VOLCANIC DOES.

IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE.

AND IT WILL BE PART OF OUR TOOLBOX TO CONTINUE FIGHTING RUST.

BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN FARMING OF COFFEE.

>>Daryl: GOING FROM A PLANDEMIC TO ENDEMIC.

SORRY.

SUZANNE, LET ME ASK YOU.

HOW MUCH OF A THREAT ARE THESE PESTS TO YOUR ABILITY TO FUNCTION?

IF YOUR LABOR COSTS ARE GETTING PUSHED UP, GOT TO MAKE THESE CHANGES, I MEAN, HOW MUCH OF A THREAT IS THIS TO, IS IT EASY IF YOU HAVE A MEDIUM SIZE FARM OR BIG FARM OR SMALL FARM, TO DEAL WITH THESE THREATS?

>> I THINK SMALL FARMS ARE PARTICULARLY CHALLENGED BECAUSE OF THE LABOR.

SMALL FARMS TEND NOT TO HAVE NEAT ROW.

A LOT OF OUR OLDER FARMS ARE KIND OF PLANTED BEFORE WE HAD BIG TRACTORS TO PUNCH HOLES IN THE GROUND.

THOSE FARMS ARE REALLY STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PROCEED.

INCLUDES MY FAMILY FARMS.

ARE THREE SMALL FARMS BETWEEN MY GENERATIONS AND I'M REALLY NOT SURE YET HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE DUE.

ONE OF OUR FARMS.

WE LOST 5% OF OUR TREES THIS YEAR TO COFFEE LEAF RUST.

JUST UP AND DIED.

ROCKY FARM.

NOT A LOT OF SOIL.

SOIL HEALTH IS REALLY IMPORTANT WITH COFFEE LEAF RUST.

SO WE'RE EVALUATING HOW WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED.

DO WE YANK TREES OUT?

START MOWING DOWN ACRE AT A TIME?

REPLANTING?

WHAT DO WE REPLANT WITH?

IS IT GOING TO TASTE AS GOOD AS KONA TYPICA.

WHAT ARE THE NEW VARIETIES GOING TO DO.

A LOT OF QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW.

IN A COUPLE OF YEARS, A LOT BETTER ANSWERS.

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH IT.

>>Daryl: IT SOUNDS VERY EXPENSIVE AND SHARON, WHERE IS THE STATE IN TERMS OF BEING THERE FOR HELPING THIS INDUSTRY SURVIVE?

IS IT IMPORTANT THAT THIS INDUSTRY SURVIVE?

IF YOU CAN'T SURVIVE, SOME MIGHT SAY, WELL, I'M SORRY.

IT'S DOG‑EAT‑DOG.

FREE ENTERPRISE.

IS IT GOVERNMENT'S ROLE TO STEP IN AND SAVEN AN INDUSTRY.

WHAT IS THE VALUE SAVING THAT INDUSTRY AND WHAT THE COST OF SAVING THAT INDUSTRY?

>> SHAWN CLARK, OUR STATE STATISTICIAN HAS ESTIMATED FROM THE YEAR '21, TO '22.

ESTIMATED VALUE OF COFFEE FOR THE STATE IS GOING TO BE $60 MILLION.

YEAH.

IT'S WORTH SAVING.

YEAH.

FOR SURE.

IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE.

CAN THE FARMERS AFFORD IT?

NO.

BUT I'M LOOK AT SUZANNE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE SHE WAS PART OF A BILL AND ARS, LOOKING AT, MELISSA, THEY WERE AWARDED, WAS IT 6 MILLION OR 9 MILLION, SUZANNE?

>> 6 MILLION.

>> 6 MILLION.

TO MAKE HAWAII THE CENTER OF COFFEE RESEARCH.

WE OWE A LOT TO DAVE CHUN AND HIS GROUP AND CONGRESS.

TO PUT THIS ALL TOGETHER AND CREATE THIS COFFEE CENTER OF COFFEE RESEARCH CENTER FOR THE WORLD.

IS THAT GOOD, SUZANNE?

GOING TO BE IT?

MAYBE I SHOULD LET YOU TAKE OVER FROM HERE.

>> YEAH, WE BROUGHT TOGETHER A CONSORTIUM BETWEEN PUERTO RICO AND HAWAII, INCLUDES MELISSA, ARS, INCLUDES UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, BOTH AT MANOA AND EXTENSION GROUP.

AS WELL AS SOME SPECIALISTS IN PURDUE, MICHIGAN STATE TO FOCUS ON THIS ISSUE FOR OUR FARMERS HERE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW TO PROCEED OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

>>Daryl: MELISSA, LET ME ASK YOU.

IS THAT PRIMARILY A DISEASE AND PEST KIND OF ENTERPRISE OR IS THAT ALSO MARKETING AND PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT AND THAT SORT OF THING AS WELL?

IS THERE MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALSO TO SUPPORT THESE KINDS OF ENTERPRISES?

>> YEAH, SO OUR FACILITY DOES OF COURSE PROVIDE ALWAYS A LOT OF FUNDING TO DO OUR RESEARCH.

BUT GETTING THESE OUTSIDE GRANTS REALLY ARE IDEAL BECAUSE AS SUZANNE SAID, BRING TOGETHER A LOT OF INSTITUTIONS.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE NEED FOR A PROBLEM AS BIG AS THIS.

EACH OF US CAN'T DO THIS ALONE.

SO WE NEED EXPERTISE FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS.

A LOT OF OUR RESEARCH ONE‑ON‑ONE WITH THE GROWER.

MONITORING PROGRAM THAT I'VE BEEN RUNNING FOR COFFEE BERRY BORER.

COFFEE LEAF RUST.

SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN THE FIELD WITH THE GROWERS.

WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO MANAGE THESE DIFFERENT PESTS AND DISEASES.

COLLECTING DATA ALONGSIDE WITH THEM.

WEATHER DATA, BIOLOGICAL DATA ON THE PESTS AND DISEASES.

DATA WHAT THE FERTILIZER REGIME IS.

PRUNING METHODS ARE.

SO IDEA IS THAT WE CAN PUT ALL OF THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER AND WE'RE HOPING TO GET A PREDICTIVE MODEL OUT OF ALL OF THAT WE CAN FORECAST FOR GROWERS WHEN THEY CAN EXPECT OUTBREAKS OF PESTS AND DISEASES.

THAT THEY'LL KNOW AHEAD OF TIME WHERE THEY NEED TO FOCUS TARGETED SPRAYS ON THEIR FARMS.

WHEN THEY NEED TO FOCUS ON SANITATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

>>Daryl: LET ME ASK, COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FROM TANNYA VIA FACEBOOK.

INTERESTING QUESTIONS IN THAT CAN THIS INDUSTRY OR DOES THIS INDUSTRY OR WILL THIS INDUSTRY BE A PLACE FOR MORE HIGH TECH OR HIGH EDUCATION TYPE JOBS?

I THINK PEOPLE PICTURE WORKERS COMING AND AG WORKERS, MANY FROM OUT OF STATE.

THEY MIGRATE.

WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT SCIENTIFIC AND RESEARCH ASPECTS.

>> COLLEGE TROPICAL AGRICULTURAL AND HILO MIGHT BE GENERATING, OPPORTUNITY FOR JOBS HERE FOR PEOPLE LOCAL PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET EDUCATED INTO THIS RESEARCH.

INTO THE INDUSTRY.

QUESTION SPECIFICALLY, WHAT ABOUT WORKING WITH U.H.

STUDENTS TO SOLVE THE DISEASE ISSUES ON COFFEE FARMS AND PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS TO OUR STUDENTS TO ASSIST AS WORKERS TOO.

ALSO, ARE THESE BUSINESSES HIRING LOCAL PEOPLE, HIGH SCHOOL KIDS OFFERING SCHOLARSHIPS TO COLLEGE FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOLWORKERS.

LET ME ASK YOU, TOM, DO YOU SEE AT SOME POINT, INDUSTRY MIGHT BE MULTIPLE LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR FOLKS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE TALK ABOUT LABOR SHORTAGE.

HOW DO YOU PICK COFFEE?

WE BRING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN TO HAWAII TO PICK OUR COFFEE.

ROBOTICS.

OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGY COMES ALONG, YOUNG MINDS THINK DIFFERENT THAN US OLD BUGGERS.

YOU KNOW.

(LAUGHTER) I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

WE DON'T, KIDS THINK, FARMING?

THAT'S WHAT THEY THINK.

NO WAY.

THEY'RE GONE.

THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT COFFEE OFFERS A LOT OF HIGHER SKILLED WORK, TECHNOLOGY.

TECHNOLOGY IN THE COFFEE INDUSTRY IS, I MEAN, I USE IT ALL OVER THE PLACE ON THE FARM NOW.

COLOR SORTERS.

OPTIC SCANNERS.

EQUIPMENT IN THE FIELD.

ABSOLUTELY.

>>Daryl: MELISSA, ON THAT POINT, ARE THERE, DO PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS?

YOUR ORGANIZATION I UNDERSTAND IT ALSO DEALS WITH A LOT OF TROPICAL CROPS.

NOT JUST COFFEE.

AND I MEAN, DO YOU SEE THAT AS REAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DRIVER AND HOW DO WE GET, HOW WE MAKE THAT LEAP OR HAVE WE ALREADY MADE IT, JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT?

>> SURE.

YEAH.

QUESTION I THINK ABOUT ALL THE TIME.

I MEAN, I GREW UP HERE AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL.

A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE HERE ARE NOT.

EVEN THOUGH U.H.

HAS AN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM.

JUST WE DON'T HAVE A REALLY HIGH ENROLLMENT IN THE PROGRAM.

PROGRAM REALLY DOESN'T GET ENOUGH FUNDING IN MY OPINION.

MY FACILITY ARS HERE IN HILO, WE RECRUIT STUDENTS ALL THE TIME FOR ALL SORTS OF PROJECTS.

ON THE COFFEE PROJECT ALONE, WE HIRED TWO U.H.

STUDENTS OUT OF THE UNDER GRAD COMPUTER PROGRAMMING DEPARTMENT.

AND WE BROUGHT THEM ON AS COMPUTER PROGRAMMERS FOR THIS MOBILE APP THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT WILL HELP GROWERS TO GET OUT AND MONITOR PEST AND DISEASES ON THEIR FARMS.

THEY WERE A KEY FEATURE IN THIS WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.

GONE ON TO SOME REALLY GREAT JOBS AFTER THAT.

THAT'S AN ONGOING THEME THAT ARS HAS, BRINGING IN LOCAL STUDENTS.

WE HAVE STUDENT RESEARCHERS THAT HELP US ALL TIME ON PROJECTS.

BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE TO BRING IN LOCAL KIDS INTO AGRICULTURAL AND TEACH THEM ABOUT WHERE FOOD COMES FROM AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE LEARN ABOUT FARMING AND THAT WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE TO REPLACE ALL OF THE GROWERS THAT WE'RE LOSING.

RETIRING OR GETTING OUT OF THE BUSINESS.

GOING TO BE HUGE GAP THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE FILLED.

GROWERS THAT TELL ME ALL THE TIME, I LOVE WHAT I DO, BUT I HAVE NO ONE TO REPLACE ME.

IT'S PRETTY SAD.

SO IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE WORKING ON MORE INTERAGENCY COLLABORATIONS, MORE COLLABORATIONS WITH THE UNIVERSITY.

AND MORE FUNDING TO GET KIDS OUT AND GET THEM INTERESTED IN AGRICULTURE.

I THINK PRECISION AGRICULTURE IS A HUGE SECTOR THAT REALLY JUST KIND OF AT THE BEGINNING WITH COFFEE.

I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ACT DEVELOPMENT.

AS TOMMY MENTIONED, A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS THAT KIDS, I THINK, WITH THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF COMPUTERS AND IPHONES AND TABLETS AND PROGRAMMING, THAT THEY ALL HAVE, THEY WOULD BE VERY HIRABLE TO IMPROVE THE WAY THAT COFFEE, AND MANY OTHER CROPS GROWN ACROSS THE STATE.

>>Daryl: I SEE YOU NODDING YOUR HEAD.

SHARON FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

IS THERE A MOVEMENT THERE IN GOVERNMENT?

I KNOW LEGISLATURE, THERE IS A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON AGRICULTURE THIS YEAR.

>> PARTICULARLY I KNOW SENATE PRESIDENT KOUCHI VERY INTERESTED TYING TOGETHER, FOR EXAMPLE, AGRICULTURE AND SCHOOLS, AGRICULTURE HOSPITALS AND INSTITUTIONS.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THAT REGARD SET UP SORT OF GOWN TO TOWN KIND OF SYNERGY THAT COULD LEAD TO THIS KIND OF GROWTH ECONOMICALLY?

>> THE DEVELOPMENT IN THAT FRAMEWORK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT REALLY IS CALL ON SUZANNE AS WELL.

BECAUSE IT'S THE FLORACULTURE INDUSTRY THAT TAKING A LEAD ON THE CTE TYPE EDUCATION.

CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

WHAT THEY'RE FOCUSING ON NOW, PANDEMIC TAUGHT THE FLORACULTURE INDUSTRY THAT THEY CANNOT RELY ON OFFSHORE PROPAGATION.

CANNOT RELY ON HELP FROM OVERSEAS.

GOT TO START DEVELOPING THE TALENT WITHIN OUR STATE.

SO ARPA, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, GAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE $100,000.

FLORACULTURE INDUSTRY USING THAT FOR TISSUE CULTURE.

TO TEACH STUDENTS AND SET UP MORE KNOWLEDGE WITHIN THE STATE.

TISSUE CULTURE, WHICH WHEN TOMMY FINDS OUT WHICH OF THOSE COFFEE LEAF RUST TREES PRODUCING HIGHEST QUALITY COFFEE BEAN, MAYBE HE CAN SELL THE TISSUE CULTURE, WE PROPAGATE IT AND SELL IT TO THE COFFEE GROWERS TO USE.

TRY TO MINIMIZE RISK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TYPE PLANT.

THAT THEY CAN REPOPULATE THEIR FIELDS WITH.

THIS COFFEE LEAF RUST RESISTANT HIGH QUALITY, HIGH CUPPING SCORE TREE.

>> I MEAN, THAT'S GOING TO SAVE THE INDUSTRY.

BUT IT ALL HAS DO WITH THE EXPERTISE THAT WE NEED TO DEVELOP IN STATE TO PRODUCE THESE TYPES OF TISSUE CULTURES.

>> I BELIEVE ARS HAS THAT TISSUE CULTURE FACILITY.

I BELIEVE THERE'S FOUR IN THE STATE.

BUT HEY, I WENT TO THE ACADEMY EVERY YEAR WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

EVERY SUMMER LIKE CLOCKWORK.

REPORT TO THE ACADEMY.

KIDS SHOULD MAYBE GET INTO THAT I'M GOING TO LEARN A NEW SKILL THIS YEAR.

IT'S THE KEY I THINK.

>>Daryl: I NEED TO ASK YOU, VERY BEGINNING OF PROGRAM.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT HOW THE MAGIC OF THE HAWAII COFFEE IS THIS NARROW BAND OF PERFECT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.

DAN FROM KAILUA ASKS, SORT OF 500‑POUND GORILLA IN THE ROOM.

IS CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTING COFFEE INDUSTRY?

TOM, I MEAN, ARE YOU SEEING IT?

GETTING A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THAT PERFECT LITTLE BAND OF COFFEE GROWING PLACE?

>> WELL, OF COURSE.

BUT YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE VOLCANIC AND THE RAINFALL IN KONA FOR SO LONG, THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WEATHER WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE ANY MORE.

35 YEARS OR MORE OF THAT VOLCANIC GOING OFF, RAINFALL 40% LESS AND IF THAT IS THE WAY CLIMATE CHANGE IS GOING TO AFFECT US, YES.

IT'S GOING TO ‑‑ AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, HOPEFULLY, A CHANCE TO BRINGING PLANT THAT WERE DESIGNED FOR DRY CLIMATE FARMING.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE REALLY GOOD CUP.

HOPEFULLY, SOME DAY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THIS PLANT TO HAWAII TO TRY IT.

IT MIGHT BE THEIR SAVIOR.

>>Daryl: MELISSA, I'M REMEMBERING I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS CALLED.

BIG PEST ISSUE WITH HAWAIIAN PAPAYA AND IT WAS BANNED FROM BEING SOLD ON THE MAINLAND.

AND THEY CAME UP WITH COUPLE OF WAYS OF SOLVING THE PROBLEM.

ONE OF THEM WAS WHICH HATE TO USE THIS WORD, BECAUSE START A WHOLE NEW PROGRAM.

MANAGED TO MODIFY THE ORGANISM IN ORDER SO IT WOULDN'T GIVE YOU THOSE BUGS WOULDN'T SURVIVE.

NOW, TOM WAS MENTIONING THE PLANT THAT COULD COME AND BE THE NEW PLANT.

IS THAT EVOLVED THAT KIND OF ENGINEERING, OR IS IT MORE OLD‑FASHIONED, YOU CLIP AND YOU CHOOSE AND/OR YOU FIND SOMETHING FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE?

WHERE IS THAT PLANT GOING TO COME FROM?

>> GOOD QUESTION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT EITHER.

I THINK HAWAII IN GENERAL PRETTY IS SENSITIVE TO GMOs TO GROWING GMOS IN GENERAL.

SO I THINK IF THAT WERE GOING TO COME TO THE TABLE, IT WOULD BE KIND OF UPHILL BATTLE.

IN TERMS OF COFFEE BERRY BORER, PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO LOOK AT OTHER VARIETIES.

YOU MENTIONED ROBUSTA.

OTHER VARIETIES OF COFFEE OUT THERE THAT MAYBE HAVE A HARDER BERRY THAT THE COFFEE BERRY BORER WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BORE THROUGH.

SO PEOPLE LOOKED AT THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

THE ARABICA VARIETY TYPICA GROWN IN HAWAII.

GROWN FOR A REASON.

REALLY DISTINCT WONDERFUL FLAVOR AND THOSE OTHER SPECIES AND VARIETIES OF COFFEE JUST DON'T TASTE AS GOOD.

SO IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT I THINK TO BRING IN SOMETHING ELSE TO REPLACE WHAT WE HAVE HERE.

>>Daryl: LAST QUESTION OF OUR SHOW NOW.

SUZANNE.

YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THIS EXISTENTIAL WORRY YOU HAVE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE TOP TWO THINGS OR THREE THINGS AT MOST, ONLY GOT ABOUT A MINUTE.

NEED TO HAPPEN NOW TO ENSURE YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SURVIVE AS A GROWER AND OTHERS WILL SURVIVE TOO?

>> FIRST NEED TO PROTECT OUR MARKETPLACE BY HITTING 51% BLEND.

SECOND, WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR PORTS WITH BIOSECURITY RULES ENFORCEMENT, TO PREVENT ANOTHER COFFEE LEAF RUST COMING THROUGH.

AND THIRD ONE MAY BE KICK THAT TO TOM TO SEE IF HE HAS ANY THOUGHTS WHAT I MISSED.

THOSE ARE THE FIRST TWO COME TO MIND FOR ME.

>>Daryl: SHORT, TOM.

ABOUT 20 SECONDS.

>> YOU HIT THE PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANT.

I THINK.

>>Daryl: I HEARD AWFUL LOT ABOUT THIS TENSION BETWEEN THE GROWERS AND THE BLENDERS.

IT'S LIKE, HATFIELD AND MCCOYS OUT THERE.

HOPE WE CAN GET THAT RESOLVED.

I WANT TO THANK OUR VIEWERS.

MAHALO TO YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

AND THANK OUR GUESTS AS WELL.

SUZANNE SHRINER OF LIONS GATE FARMS IN SOUTH KONA, THOMAS GREENWELL OF GREENWELL FARMS IN KEALAKEKUA, SHARON HURD FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND USDA RESEARCH BIOLOGIST MELISSA JOHNSON.

NEXT WEEK ON INSIGHTS, AN ISSUE THAT’S PLAGUED THE STATE FOR DECADES, THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WE’LL HEAR WHAT SOME LAWMAKERS ARE PUSHING FOR AND WE’LL DISCUSS THE AFFORDABILITY GAP THAT’S GROWING AS COST OF LIVING AND HOME PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE.

PLEASE JOIN US THEN.

I’M DARYL HUFF FOR INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAII.

ALOHA!