MEDIA RELEASE

A two-day workshop, “Integrated Pest Management of the Coffee Berry Borer,” will bring pest expert Dr. Luis Aristizabal to West Hawaii to share his expertise with local coffee producers.

The workshop is 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24 and Saturday, Aug. 25, at the Kona Hongwanji Mission in Kealakekua.

Hawaii’s coffee farmers are facing a very large threat from a very tiny enemy: the coffee berry borer (CBB). A beetle native to central Africa, CBB is considered the coffee industry’s most harmful pest. Some Kona farms reported losses of more than 25 percent last year and there are concerns for this year’s crop.

A scientist from Colombia who has spent his career focused on control of pests in coffee, Aristizabal has extensive experience working with farmers to manage CBB.

Currently with the University of Florida, he brings a unique voice to the table for Hawaiian farmers from one of the world’s most productive coffee-growing regions.

During the two days of classroom and field lectures, participants will learn about CBB behaviors and movement patterns, proper times to use sprays and traps, as well as effective harvesting techniques.

The workshop is sponsored by The Kohala Center, Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union, Kona Coffee Farmers Association, and Kona County Farm Bureau.

“We’ve got a good grasp of the basic principles here,” said Suzanne Shriner, a Kona coffee grower with Lions Gate Farms. “But we still feel that there is a lot to learn. Coffee farmers in other parts of the world have had success in combating this beetle. Many of us have lots of questions and look forward hearing Dr. Aristizabal’s insights and solutions.”

The Kona Coffee Farmers Association has produced an educational video for coffee farmers, “Controlling the Coffee Berry Borer,” which is available on the organization’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/konacoffeefarmers.

The Kona Hongwanji is located at 81-6630 Mamalohoa Highway in Kealakekua. Parking is available in the lot on Nani Kapuna Street. Registration for the workshop is $25, and includes lunch on Friday. Participants can register online or by downloading a form at http://www.kohalacenter.org/cbbworkshop/registration.html. For more information, or help with registration, contact Cortney Hoffman at 887-6411 or e-mail choffman@kohalacenter.org.

The Kohala Center (http://www.kohalacenter.org) is an independent, community-based center for research, education, and conservation. The center was established in direct response to the request of island residents to create greater educational and employment opportunities by enhancing — and celebrating — Hawaii’s spectacular natural and cultural landscapes.