Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawai‘i, the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at UH Manoa and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture

Registration and Continental Breakfast, begins at 8:00 am
Morning Sessions, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Lunch, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Afternoon Sessions, 2:15 pm – 5:00 pm
Tradeshow and Poster Exhibit, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Location

Hawaii Convention Center 1801 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815
Third Floor Meeting Rooms

Welcome and Opening

Diane Ley, Chair of Conference

Keynote Presentation: Local Advantage: A new paradigm for Hawaii agriculture

Paul Roberts Hawaii farmers and livestock operators find themselves at a critical juncture: As soaring energy costs make imported food more and more expensive, locally produced meats and produce are gaining a competitive edge—and could take a larger share of Hawaii's market. But this unique new opportunity comes with unique new challenges: given the state’s geographic isolation and physical constraints, local producers must develop farming methods that are not only cost-competitive in the short-term, but sustainable for the long-term, in everything from energy efficiency and water use to environmental impacts. As local production resumes a larger part in food security, producers’ ability to step away from traditional production systems and intentionally adapt to island models of sustainability will become even more critical. And so will it also become even more critical that consumers choose to support local and to buy local.

2^nd Plenary Session: Leading with Awareness and Intention – Supporting Hawaii’s Agricultural Businesses

Speakers

Always a pace setter in the global and national agricultural scene, Hawaii boasts abundant small farms and ranches, and a tremendous diversity of crops. This bounty has inspired everything from fresh family feasts and great ethnic dishes to world-class regional cuisine. Yet hurtles impede more local product reaching the table in both hospitality and home settings. As a community and as individuals, are we doing enough from policy to plate to support Hawaii’s agriculture?

Farmer-to-Farmer Speed Dating – featuring Hawaii’s most innovative farmer

How to Participate a Farmers Market
Shin Ho, Ho Family Farms

Building a Market through CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture)
Gerry Ross, Co-owner and Farmer, Kupa’a Farms.

Workforce Development: Training youth on your farm
Traci Sylvia, Hawaii Department of Education Natural Resources (NR) Pathway Program

Alternative Energy for your Farm
Misty Conrad Technical Assistance Program Manager, State, Local and Tribal Integrated Applications, Strategic Energy Analysis & Applications Center, National Renewable Energy Lab

Cover Crops: Grow your own inputs
John McHugh, Co-owner and Founder, Crop Care Hawai`i, LLC

Composting: Make compost -not waste
Mauricio Avila, PhD., Soil Scientist, Kapalua Farms on Maui

The ABC’s to Value Added Products
Kylie Matsuda, Managing Director, Kahuku Farms

Aquaponics: A sustainable model for increased outputs at reduced costs
Tim Mann, Owner, Friendly Aquaponics, Inc.

As more consumers jump on the “Buy Local” bandwagon supermarkets are responding and new opportunities are emerging. Let this panel walk you through some of the steps it takes to break into this super market.

This expert panel will provide an overview of the process used by each county to obtain a Special Use Permit in the ag district. The panel will include: (1) an attorney who has helped clients successfully address the requirements and procedures in different counties, (2) a county planner who will focus on Hawaii Island statues and rules with examples of ag tourism and (3) an owner of an ag tourism venue currently going through the permitting process.

Learn about grant opportunities that support, among other things, Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency and Value-Added Marketing. And-the Agriculture Development Program-what funding opportunities and partnerships are available.

What are some of the “trade-offs” between growing food locally and importing food? What are some of the economic considerations - costs (production, transportation, and packaging); quality (freshness and food safety – no E. coli and mad cow disease); utilization of scarce resources (land, water, capital, labor)? And when is the “tipping point” to decide on continuing to grow locally versus to import as a rational society, and optimizing our limited resources (land, water, capital, labor)? Join us as we discuss these issues that have a reverberating impact throughout Hawaii.

Soaring prices for oil, fertilizer and other petroleum-based inputs will have a critical impact on Hawaii’s agriculture sector. What are the short and medium-term prospects for input prices, and how should farmers, livestock operators and producers adapt their production model to fit the new energy reality?

Two farmers, a State Senator, a Farm Bureau President and a representative from at least one of the agencies tasked with implementing the law share their insights and call for meaningful discussion. We all want the same thing - save our ag lands; we all have different ideas about how to achieve this. Join the circle to learn and share as we struggle to find common ground and meaningful solutions to one of our most vexing challenges.

The ability to produce cheap, plentiful food marks one the greatest successes of the modern era. And yet, rising concerns over food safety, nutrition-related disease, and the environmental impacts of industrialized agriculture suggest that the true costs of our "cheap" calories are far too high to sustain. Even as rising population pushes food demand—and send food prices to levels not seen in a generation—consumers and producers alike must confront the realities of a food economy fast approaching its limits.

There will be ample time allotted to visit the Tradeshow featuring local and national agricultural related businesses and organizations. A new feature at the conference is a Poster Exhibition designed to highlight and feature research and innovative agriculture practices and projects occurring throughout the state.

Deadline: Deadline for online registration is Monday Aug. 25, 2008 and for mail in or faxed registration is Friday Aug. 29, 2008. Form of payment must accompany the registration. Credit card numbers submitted with registration will be processed upon receipt. Registrations will not be processed without payment.

Refunds: Requests for refunds will be received at the UH Conference Center by Wednesday Aug. 27, 2008, in writing (email, fax or post). No refunds will be made thereafter. Please allow approximately three to five weeks for processing.