MEDIA RELEASE

At it’s monthly Board Meeting on Tuesday, July 16th, the Kona Coffee Farmer’s Association unanimously commended Board Member Bruce Corker for his efforts in affecting the $1 million allocation to combat the Coffee Berry Borer (CBB) that Senator Mazie Hirono and the USDA announced on July 11th.

In February Corker orchestrated a request that was sent to President Obama and the USDA Secretary Vilsack “soliciting emergency assistance from the White House and the Department of Agriculture for the Hawaii Coffee Industry that is being besieged by a new invasive pest recently introduced onto the Island of Hawaii and now threatening all coffee growing areas of the State.”

Signed by Kona Coffee Farmer’s Association President Cecelia Smith and Greg Stille, President of Hawaii Coffee Association, the request was joined by Stefanie Delmont, President of Kona County Farm Bureau; Kimo Falconer, President of the Hawaii Coffee Growers Association; Vivian Landrum, President/CEO of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce; Ken Love, President of the Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers; Sydney Smith, President of the Maui Coffee Association; and Donna Woolley, President of the Kona Coffee Council.

The emergency request letter was sent to Hawaii Congressional Members; Senator Hirono, Senator Schatz, Representattive Hanabusa and Representative Gabbard.

On April 15th, Senator Hirono wrote Secretary Vilsack with a personal request for funding of an Area Wide Integrated Pest Management Program for the mitigation of CBB. On May 23rd, Senator Hirono called Corker to announce that the $1 million in funding had been authorized through the USDA “to aid in controlling CBB in the United States”.

Cecelia Smith, President of the KCFA said, “Through Bruce Corker’s extensive efforts, all of Hawaii coffee farmers will benefit from a science based program to mitigate the devastating Coffee Berry Borer conducted through the Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center.”

The Kona Coffee Farmer’s Resolution honoring Corker reads as follows.

Be it resolved that:

The Kona Coffee Farmers Association recognizes the extensive efforts of KCFA Board Member Bruce Corker which resulted in the $1 million in funding to combat CBB that Senator Hirono and the USDA announced on Thursday, July 11, 2013. Adopted by the Kona Coffee Farmers Association, Board of Directors on the 16th day of July 2013.