Department of Agriculture

NR11-20 – December 8, 2011 HONOLULU –  A total of eight illegal animals were turned in yesterday under the State’s Amnesty Program, including three ball python and two boa constrictor snakes, two blue-tongued skinks and one monitor lizard.  According to the Hawaiian Humane Society (HHS), a woman dropped the illegal animals off yesterday afternoon.  (Note: ...
Read More Five Snakes and Three Lizards Turned In Under Amnesty

NR11-19 – November 25, 2011 HONOLULU – The Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) is currently accepting applications for a new round of organic certification cost-share assistance to organic farmers, organic livestock operators and organic produce handlers.  Renewed federal funding totaling up to $95,000 has been allotted to help Hawai`i agribusinesses with the cost of organic ...
Read More Renewed Funding for Organic Certification Cost-Share Program

NR11-18 – November 8, 2011 HONOLULU – The final environmental assessment (EA) allowing the release of a biological control for the invasive strawberry guava was published today by the Department of Health’s Office of Environmental Quality Control (OEQC).  Strawberry guava is a non-native plant that is invading and threatening Hawai`i’s native forests and has already ...
Read More Final EA Posted for Biological Control of Invasive Strawberry Guava

NR11-17 August 12, 2011 HONOLULU – The Hawai`i Department of Agriculture’s Apiary Program and the Kaua`i Beekeepers Association (KBEE) will be co-hosting a Kaua`i Grown Honey Tasting at the Kaua`i County Farm Bureau Fair Grand Opening Night on Thursday, August 25th from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Vidinha Stadium in Lihue.   The event will take place at ...
Read More Bee Informed at the Kauai County Farm Bureau Fair

NR 11-16 – August 8, 2011 HONOLULU – A young opossum was found in a shipping container at a retail store at Ward Center this morning at about 7:30 a.m.  Workers unloading the container saw the animal and immediately closed the container and called police.  Responding officers captured the animal and inspectors from the Hawai`i ...
Read More Opossum Found in Shipping Container and Sugar Glider Turned In

NR11-15 July 27, 2011 HONOLULU – The small hive beetle (SHB), a serious pest of honeybees, has been detected on Maui and Moloka`i.  The pest is considered widespread on Hawai`i Island and O`ahu after it was found in April 2010 and November 2010, respectively. “We have recently detected low population levels of the small hive beetle on ...
Read More Bee Pest Spreads to Maui and Moloka`i

NR11-14 July 22, 2011 UPDATED – July 23, 2011 HONOLULU – The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) delivered another snake to the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) today after it was turned in by its owner under the State’s Amnesty program. Initial information to HPD’s CrimeStoppers program indicated the snake is a boa constrictor; however, the ...
Read More Another Snake Turned In Under Amnesty

NR11-13 – July 18, 2011 HONOLULU – Twelve illegal animals have been turned in to the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) between June 29th and July 13th. One snake was caught in the wild on O`ahu; while three other snakes, two from Hilo and one from O`ahu, were turned in under the State’s Amnesty law.  In ...
Read More A Dozen Illegal Animals Turned In in Two Weeks

NR11-12 – July 5, 2011      HONOLULU – A boa constrictor was captured yesterday and held overnight at the Honolulu Zoo.  Agricultural inspectors picked up the snake this morning and it is being safeguarded at the Plant Quarantine Branch of the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA). The female snake measures nine-feet, three-inches, which is ...
Read More Boa Constrictor Captured

NR11-11 – June 8, 2011 HONOLULU —  The stinging nettle caterpillar, Darna pallivitta, which has established populations on Hawai`i Island, O`ahu and Maui, has also been found on Kaua`i.  The Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) was alerted to its presence on Kaua`i in August 2010 by the owner of a plant nursery who recognized the caterpillar ...
Read More Kaua`i Residents Asked to Report Sightings of Stinging Caterpillar