New agriculture nonprofit forms

BY CAROLYN LUCAS-ZENK | WEST HAWAII TODAY

Three agriculture associations have founded the Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council, a nonprofit designed to bring more federal grant dollars to the state, tackle common problems and ensure long-term viability of local commodities.

The founding associations — the Hawaii Papaya Industry Association, Hawaii Coffee Association and Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association — represent more than 500 businesses stretching from Hilo to Hanalei. Combined, these commodities earned $120 million in 2010, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service Hawaii Field Office in Honolulu.

“Through SHAC, multiple Hawaii commodity groups are unifying to utilize federal and state funding to market and export our made-in-Hawaii brand,” said Eric Tanouye, SHAC vice president and Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association president.

A major benefit of the collaboration and group formation is Hawaii commodities can apply for federal funds, such as those through the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, Tanouye said. Congress under the Farm Bill authorized $200 million to be channeled through Foreign Agricultural Service grants to more than 70 participants this year.

SHAC will mainly target grants through two funding opportunities: the Market Access Program and Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops. The cost-share Market Access Program helps U.S. producers and trade associations finance overseas marketing and promotional activities to support ag exports. Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops tackles barriers like crop regulations, sanitation and pest control.

Prior, Tanouye said the associations and their members “didn’t have the ambitions or the critical skills” to apply for these “very competitive grants” on their own. Groups can no longer rely on members of Congress to direct federal money to projects back home because of the moratorium on legislative earmarks, he added.

SHAC also enables Hawaii commodities to combine financial resources to provide Market Access Program’s required amount of matching contributions and “desired broadness of representation.” The idea is to consolidate association contributions with diminishing Hawaii Department of Agriculture grants to better leverage the federal program funding.

“Many trade shows on the U.S. mainland are considered international in nature and are eligible expenses under Foreign Agricultural Service funding,” said Gloria Biven, Hawaii Coffee Association treasurer. “By maximizing limited state funds and association contributions, we can share the cost of the same activities that span multiple groups.”

With a founding purpose to have commodities work cooperatively for the development and sustainability of Hawaii’s agriculture, SHAC will address other issues of importance to its members, such as legislative and regulatory representation.

Immediate goals for SHAC include seeking $500,000 and additional technical support to fight the coffee berry borer and possible transgenic research because “it’s important that we solve this problem,” Tanouye said.

Tanouye recalled the bacterial blight of anthuriums in the 1980s, which took 10 years to overcome, resulted in the loss of numerous commercial growers and resulted in limited anthurium production in Hawaii. He believes collaboration can lead to widespread benefits that can be gained for all counties through its adoption.

SHAC will vie for funds with large organizations like the American Soybean Association, U.S. Apple Export Council and the California Table Grape Commission.

“Our vision is to create a solid management structure to support members in planning, government financing, compliance and activity implementation,” said Ken Kamiya, SHAC president and former Hawaii Papaya Industry Association president.

clucas-zenk@westhawaiitoday.com