Farmers encouraged to sign up for workshops on natural disaster assistance

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
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Posted: Oct 25, 2010

With only two months left in the year, 2010 has presented Hawai‘i’s agricultural growers with multiple challenges, including a drought, vog, new pests and diseases, as well as an ailing economy. Now there is one more “threat” to the local farming community: a major change in national disaster assistance rules. 
 
The USDA Farm Service Agency’s (FSA’s) Disaster Assistance Programs are now directly linked to federal crop insurance—which means producers must obtain crop insurance to be eligible for the FSA disaster funds. For those crops that are non-insurable—such as vegetables, cut flowers, animals, cacao, taro, and fruit other than bananas and papayas—coverage must be obtained under the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).
 
With this in mind, the UH Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources’ Local Immigrant and Farmer Education (LIFE) program and other co-sponsors are offering workshops statewide for growers to learn about crop insurance, disaster assistance, and risk management.  Companion workshops on the topic of Farm Recordkeeping are also being offered.
 
Workshop information on all islands
 
  • On O‘ahu, the Crop Insurance & Disaster Assistance workshop will be held from 5-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 16, 2010, at the Kāne‘ohe CES Office. A Farm Recordkeeping workshop has not yet been scheduled. For more information and to register, contact Stuart Nakamoto, professor and extension economist in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences at CTAHR, at (808) 956-8125 or snakamo@hawaii.edu.
 
  • On Maui, the Crop Insurance & Disaster Assistance workshop will be held from 5-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 7, 2010. A Farm Recordkeeping workshop will be held from 5-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 3, 2010. Both events will be held at the Kahului CES Office. Please RSVP three days prior to an event with Robin in Kahului at (808) 244-3242 ext. 231 or via email sent to ShimabukuR@ctahr.hawaii.edu.
 
  • On Kaua‘i, the Crop Insurance & Disaster Assistance workshop will be held from 4-6:30 p.m. on Monday, November 22, 2010. A Farm Recordkeeping workshop will be held from 4-6:30 p.m. on Monday, December 13, 2010. Both events will be held at the Līhu‘e State Office Building #209, 3060 Eiwa St. Please RSVP three days prior to an event with Richard in Līhu‘e at (808) 274-3475 or via email sent to rebesu@hawaii.edu.
 
  • On the Big Island, there are four Crop Insurance & Disaster Assistance workshops and at least four Farm Recordkeeping workshops scheduled throughout the county from Monday, November 8, to Friday, November 19, 2010. For more specific information, contact Kathy or Andrew for Hilo workshops at (808) 981-5199, Joan for Kona workshops at (808) 322-0166, Perci or Randy for Waimea workshops at (808) 887-6183, or Tony for Ocean View workshops at (808) 922-9224 or nzthirtytwo@e-mailhawaii.net.
The workshops are co-sponsored by CTAHR, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency, LIFE (Local Immigrant and Farmer Education) Hawai‘i, and the Farm Service Agency. For more information, contact Nakamoto at (808) 956-8125 or snakamo@hawaii.edu.