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NR20-08 May 12, 2020 96 More Farmers to Receive Assistance HONOLULU – The Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) will be issuing a second round of grants totaling an additional $200,000 under the COVID-19 Emergency Farmer Relief Program to assist farmers, ranchers and growers who have experienced financial damage. In this second round, 96 grants were ...
Read More More COVID-19 Emergency Farmer Relief Grants Issued

NR20-07 May 8, 2020 HONOLULU – Gov. David Ige has approved an amendment to the Hawai`i Administrative Rules that restricts the importation of plants, plant parts and seeds in the myrtle (Myrtaceae) family, including some that are commonly used in floral arrangements. The rule amendment becomes effective on May 15, 2020 and was established to ...
Read More New Rule Restricts Import of Plants in the Myrtle Family

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has reopened the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, which provides low-interest, long-term disaster loans specifically for farmers, ranchers and other agricultural operations suffering losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. SBA usually excludes agriculture from their loan programs, but the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act makes this disaster loan ...
Read More SBA Reopens Disaster Loan Program for Farmers and Ranchers

NR20-06 April 27, 2020 Butterfly May Help Manage Miconia in Forests HONOLULU – A draft environmental assessment (EA) for the release of a biological control insect to manage invasive miconia trees has been filed by the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA). In an extensive collaborative research effort involving the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service ...
Read More Draft Environmental Assessment for Miconia Biocontrol Completed

NR20-05 April 22, 2020 HONOLULU – The Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) is mailing out the first batch of checks under the COVID-19 Emergency Farmer Relief Program today. HDOA received 333 applications for the grants and was able to award 106 proposals that ranged from $2,000 for individual farmers and ranchers and up to $10,000 ...
Read More COVID-19 Emergency Farmer Relief Checks On the Way

Pest Identification Instructions for Oahu To reduce public exposure to COVID-19, effective immediately, the HDOA is temporarily suspending the receipt of incoming physical samples of insects for identification that are dropped off at the King Street office without appointments. Interested persons who would like to have insect and plant samples identified should first send an ...
Read More Plant Pest Control Branch Suspends Insect Drop Off at Honolulu Office Due to COVID-19

NR20-04 April 14, 2020 HONOLULU – The Hawai`i Board of Agriculture today approved an emergency loan program for farmers, growers and ranchers across the state who are suffering economically due to the COVID-19 situation. The loan program is effective immediately. Eligible farmers may now apply for emergency loans of up to $150,000 at 3 percent ...
Read More Emergency Agricultural Loan Program Approved to Assist Those Impacted by COVID-19

NR20-03 April 10, 2020 HONOLULU – The Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) is currently reviewing requests for assistance under the COVID-19 Emergency Farmer Relief Program which offers some financial assistance to qualified farmers, ranchers and producers who have experienced damage to their operations due to COVID-19. The funds for the program, totaling $250,000, are being ...
Read More HDOA Reviewing Applications for COVID-19 Emergency Farmer Relief Program

March 20, 2020 HONOLULU – The Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) will try to maintain as many critical services as possible during the State’s response to the COVID-19 emergency. On March 17, 2020, Governor Ige announced emergency actions to slow the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the State of Hawai`i and ordered non-essential state workers ...
Read More Hawaii Department of Agriculture Operations During COVID-19 Emergency

New Pest of Avocado Detected in Hawai`i

Posted on Feb 13, 2020 in Main

NR20-01 Feb. 13, 2020 (updated July 13, 2020) HONOLULU – A new pest of avocado has been confirmed by Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) entomologists with the help of the University of Hawai`i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources – Cooperative Extension Service (CTAHR-CES). The pest, avocado lace bug (Pseudacysta perseae), was first detected ...
Read More New Pest of Avocado Detected in Hawai`i