Ag Conference Thursday Speakers

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Diane Ley, 2008 Hawaii Agriculture Conference Chair

Keynote Presentation
9:15 - 10:30 am
Lili`u Theater, Room 310

 

Keynote Speaker

Keynote Address - Local Advantage: A new paradigm for Hawaii agriculture

Paul Roberts’s first book, The End Of Oil, was a critically acclaimed bestseller. Roberts has also written for the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and Harper’s Magazine, and appears regularly on national and international television and radio news shows, including CNN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight, the BBC, PBS NewsHour, the CBS Evening News, and on NPR’s Morning Edition, On Point, Weekend Edition, and Fresh Air. Paul Roberts lectures frequently on food, energy, and other resource issues, and has delivered keynote addresses to organizations ranging from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Council on Foreign Relations to Washington State University and the World Affairs Council. His most recent book, The End of Food is a trenchant analysis of the global food economy that elucidates the causes behind the current headlines, makes the big-picture view understandable and relevant for the everyday eater and offers a new, accessible way to understand where we are now and where we are headed in the years to come.

Leading with Awareness and Intention – Supporting Hawaii’s Agricultural Businesses

Sandra Lee Kunimoto, has been the Chairperson of Hawaii Department of Agriculture since January 2003. Under her direction, the department promotes and creates opportunities for Hawaii’s agriculture by providing land, water, loans, marketing and technical assistance, safeguarding animal and plant health, assuring the quality of local products, and provides policy guidance to assist agriculture. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from U.C. Berkeley in the Biology of Natural Resources and a MBA from the University of Hawaii.

Dean Okimoto is the owner of Nalo Farms and president of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation. He is the “face” of farming in Hawaii, and most times the voice of local farmers. His farm in Waimanalo supplies greens and herbs to the top restaurants in Hawaii.

Andrew Hashimoto is Dean of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service. He has served in this capacity since October 2000. He was born and raised in Hawaii, educated at Purdue and Cornell Universities, and worked in New York, Nebraska, Oregon and Hawaii.

Diane Ley is the Deputy Director of the Department of Research and Development for the County of Hawai`i. She serves as the Hawaii Island representative to the Hawaii Board of Agriculture, secretary of the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii, and chair of the Hawai`i Agriculture 2008 conference. A former vegetable farmer, administrator with the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and Deputy to the Chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture, Diane continues her strong ties in agriculture.

Donna R. Ching has been an Extension Specialist in CTAHR at UH-Manoa since 1987. During that time, she has enjoyed working with a variety of non-profit, for-profit, and community organizations providing workshops in the area of group process, leadership, facilitation and strategic planning. She has also coordinated ten of the twelve classes of the Agricultural Leadership Program.

Lunch Program - Eating Locally with Intention

Chef Doug Rothenberger, has been working in restaurants for 20 years, starting as a busboy, moving into the kitchen and then, working up the ranks. In 1995 he transitioned from small restaurants to convention centers. Chef Doug has worked in the Santa Clara, Washington State and Las Vegas Convention Centers and now calls the Hawaii Convention Center his home. He enjoys traveling to other convention centers to assist with large events. Some of the highlights of these visits include the National Hockey League All-Star Game, the opening of the new Seahawks Stadium and the Olympics in Atlanta.

Dr. Manulani Aluli Meyer is an Associate Professor of Education at UH Hilo. Her work is in indigenous epistemology (philosophy of knowledge) and its implication in transforming our educational and social systems. She is a collaborator in the Food Sovereignty movement that MA`O Farms of Waianae began.

Farmer-to-Farmer Speed Dating

After building a 25-foot sailboat at age 17 and sailing solo throughout the Pacific for several years, Tim Mann settled on the Big Island in 1976. A small business owner and entrepreneur his entire adult life, he has operated a wide variety of businesses including commercial fishing/shrimping, boatbuilding, sailmaking, architectural design, software sales and support, and a crane service. He began researching aquaculture in 1990, and built a recirculating aquaponics system based upon the University of the Virgin Islands’ model with his wife Susanne in June 2007.

Shin Ho is a graduate of California State University, Northridge with a double major in International Business, Marketing and a minor in Economics. Shin has some experience in retail management, but more importantly she is well versed in the business of farming. In 2006 Shin returned to Kahuku to grow the family farm. Ho Farms is a quality supplier of local produce for Costco Hawaii and Foodland.   

Misty Dawn Conrad is the Technical Assistance Program Manager in the State, Local and Tribal Integrated Applications Group of Strategic Energy Analysis at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. With her undergraduate work in environmental sciences and resources and her Master’s work in environmental policy and law her research interests and expertise includes farm security and rural investment programs and strategic energy management planning. Her areas of expertise also include cross-cutting environmental resource assessment and analysis, state and local program and policy analysis, rural development, the agricultural sector and federal grant and loan technical review: design, development, process and evaluation.

Mauricio Avila, PhD. is a soil scientist with Kapalua Farms on Maui. He is a graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and EARTH University in Costa Rica. Raised on a farm in Costa Rica, Mauricio's background and his current work for Maui Land and Pineapple Company ties him strongly to the land and its health.

Kylie Matsuda is Managing Director of Kahuku Farms. A 4th generation farmer, Kylie hopes to continue her family’s farming legacy by diversifying its offerings through Agtourism activities and value added products. As a graduate of the Travel Industry Management School at the University of Hawaii, Kylie’s primary goal is to create a sustainable model of agriculture through education and the business of growing fresh local food.

Gerry Ross is co-owner and farmer with Janet Simpson for Kupa’a Farms, a diverse organic farm on 4 acres in lower Kula. Their produce is marketed through a CSA, farmer’s markets and local stores, and their coffee is sold through the Internet and direct to some of Maui’s finest restaurants. He is a member of the Maui County Farm Bureau and chairs the Agriculture in the Classroom committee and is a founding member of the Maui Coffee Association.

John McHugh is co-owner and founder of Crop Care Hawai`i, LLC, an agricultural contracting and consulting business, Crotolaria Seed Specialists, LLC, which focuses on sunn hemp seed production on O`ahu, and Hana Hou Seed Harvesting, LLC, a custom seed harvesting venture on the North Shore of O`ahu. John has a PhD. in Entomology from Purdue University and a Masters Degree in Horticulture from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. John is currently Principal Investigator for a statewide, multi-partner, multi-year, cover crop implementation project funded under the USDA National Conservation Innovation Grant program.

Dr. Traci Sylva is from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She has worked with K-12 and post secondary teachers and students and employers to enhance science education and workforce development, and is developing a strategic plan for transforming Agriculture and Natural Resources education in Hawaii.

Technical Assistance Workshops

Supermarkets – The Way In

Jim Hollyer is a program manager at the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He is also an agricultural economist and an on-farm food safety coach. For the last 8 years Jim has been working to educate and transform farms in Hawaii so that they can meet an on-farm food safety audit. Jim is passionate about helping to remove problems on farms where they could lead to serious health impacts on humans and/or losses to businesses.

Jeri Kahana is the Manager of the Commodities Branch at Hawai'i Department of Agriculture and has expertise in assessing quality of various agricultural commodities. She manages statewide branch operations including inspection of various agricultural commodities - fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, processed products, animal feed, seafood, seed, meat grading, food safety and regulate dairy industry.

Gloria Garvey & Brook Gramann On the premise that two heads are better than one, Gloria Garvey & Brook Gramann started The Brand Strategy Group in 1990, and are considered to be the preeminent experts on branding in Hawaii. Although they have worked throughout the continental US, Hawaii is home base and they are instrumental in the analysis and deployment of Hawaii's Wood, Hawaii's Flowers, Kahuku Brand, and the Hawaii Seal of Quality.

Claire Sullivan is currently the Vendor and Community Relations Coordinator for Whole Foods Market, where she handles local procurement, particularly of farm and ranch products, and community relations. She formerly managed Maui Land & Pineapple Company's research and development department, directing exploration of sustainable diversified agriculture and development practices, as well as fostering company-wide sustainability efforts. This work earned her the Pacific Business News 'Forty Under 40' award in 2006. Claire received her education at Punahou School, the London School of Economics, and Oxford University, where she received a Masters in Nature, Society and Environmental Policy, with a focus on organic agriculture and the emerging carbon economy.

Ag Tourism: Navigating the county permitting process

Elizabeth Haws Connally is an associate attorney with the law firm of Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing, and a graduate of Ohio State University with a BS in Agriculture, and the University of Toledo College of Law. Elizabeth has extensive agricultural experience from field to courtroom. She handles agribusiness issues, commercial transactions including government contracts and regulatory requirements. Elizabeth has considerable experience in government relations on the state and federal levels through her years of working in Washington, DC and for the State of Hawai‘i.

Jeff Darrow is a planner at the County of Hawaii Planning Department. He graduated from the University of Hawaii with a BA in Communications and has resided on the island of Hawaii since 1991. He has worked at the planning department since 1998 first as a zoning inspector and currently as a planner.

Lani Medina Weigert is the Co-owner, and Marketing Director for, Alii Kula Lavender. She is the President of Hawaii AgriTourism Association, and a Board Member of Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii. Lani promotes a model of agtourism that is high quality in guest experience while being low impact to the environment. She believes stewardship is everyone’s responsibility. Lani is a Class XI graduate of the Agriculture Leadership Program.

Risk Management: Strategically managing uncertainty to your business' advantage

Nancy Beaumont is the regional director at the USDA Risk Management Agency Regional Office in Davis, CA. She has over 18 years of policy management and administrative experience dealing with the state, federal and private sectors to include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NASA and now with the USDA Risk Management Agency. Nancy received her Masters degree in Public Health and her Doctoral degree in Public Health and International Relations.

Steve Peterson, grew up on a dairy farm in Northeast Iowa. He attended the University of Northern Iowa, University of Kansas and the University of North Dakota. He has worked for US Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency since 1979 in the capacities of County Executive Director and District Director in Iowa. In 1999, he moved to Hawaii to become the Chief Program Specialist for FSA in Hawaii and the Pacific Basin.

Stanley A. Kinoshita is Chairman and Co-General Agent in the State of Hawaii with Stan A. Kinoshita & Associates, Inc.. His company, started in 1952, is diverse and provides underwriting for many of Hawaii’s insurance companies. In the property & casualty area the company specializes in the horticultural field and has the exclusive rights to the Firemen’s Fund Insurance Companies for that area. Stan is also a Director and the Assistant Treasurer of the Hawaii Florists & Shippers’ Association.

Jeffrey McCall was born and raised on the Island of Hawaii and received a BA in Horticulture from Colorado State University and a MA from University of Hawaii at Manoa. For the past 25 years, Jeffrey has been producing temperate cut flowers for the local market, including ten years managing an operation in Volcano and the last 15 years with McCall Flower Farm Inc. in Wood Valley, Ka'u, which he owns and operates with his wife, Claudia and son, Garrison. Jeff graduated from Class IV of the Agriculture Leadership Program in 1991.

Growing with Grants: Funding prospects for farmers

Tim O’Connell is the Assistant to the State Director at USDA Rural Development Office. He specializes in Rural Energy Projects and is the Cooperative Development Specialist. Previously he was an agriculture loan officer for USDA in Washington State where he recived his BS in Agricultural Economics at Washington State University. He is a graduate of the Agriculture Leadership Program (1991) and a board member of ALFH since 1993.

Kevin Kinvig is a Resource Conservation and Development Coordinator for NRCS on Oahu. He supports farmers, ranchers, agricultural landowners, and community groups in achieving their water management, community development, land conservation and environmental enhancement goals. He graduated from the Agriculture Leadership Program in 2006.

Round Table Discussions – Learn ad share about the industries most pressing issues

The Price of Food: How do we reframe the economics of an island food system?

Paul H. Brewbaker is Senior Vice President and Chief Economist with Bank of Hawaii where his responsibilities include research on financial and economic risk, working in the bank's Treasury. He received his Bachelor's degree in economics from Stanford University and his Doctorate in economics from the University of Hawaii. Brewbaker did graduate work and lectured both at the University of Wisconsin and at the University of Hawaii. He began doing research in The International Banking Division at Bank of Hawaii as a student in 1981 and joined the Bank's Economics Department as an economist in 1985. Brewbaker is a director of the Hawaii Economic Association, a member of the American Economic Association, and Chair of the Hawaii Council on Revenues.

Richard Bowen is Professor and Extension Economist in the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He came to Hawaii in 1982, after receiving his PhD from Colorado State University. He has taught and conducted research and educational programs at UHM in the areas of rural development, agriculture land and water policy and sustainable agriculture. He has worked on UHM and East West Center educational projects in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Islands and consulted on irrigation economic policy for USAID in Egypt and for the Asian Development Bank in Kyrygzstan.

Senator Fukunaga has been a State Senator representing the 11^th district since 1992. Previously she served several terms in the House. She is a practicing attorney and is active in the community. She has served as chair of the Economic Development and Taxation and Health Committees.

Beth-Ann Kozlovich is a woman with many lives, on radio and in Hawaii's business and volunteer communities. Beth-Ann is the Executive Producer of Hawaii Pubic Radio talk shows and host/creator/producer of HPR's longest running live talk show, Town Square now in its 9th year. She will also host of the election series, On Politics, now through election night. For several years, she was the Hawaii anchor of NPR's award-winning Morning Edition, and has an extensive background in radio news and public affairs.

Fuel to Food: What do higher energy costs mean for Hawaii producers?

Paul Roberts’s first book, The End Of Oil, was a critically acclaimed bestseller. Roberts has also written for the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and Harper’s Magazine, and appears regularly on national and international television and radio news shows, including CNN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight, the BBC, PBS NewsHour, the CBS Evening News, and on NPR’s Morning Edition, On Point, Weekend Edition, and Fresh Air. He lives in Washington State.

Important Ag Lands: How can we ensure current new legislation works as intended?

Dean Okimoto is the owner of Nalo Farms and president of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation. He is the “face” of farming in Hawaii, and most times the voice of local farmers. His farm in Waimanalo supplies greens and herbs to the top restaurants in Hawaii.

Russell Kokubun was born and raised in Honolulu and moved to Hawaii in 1974 to pursue a career in agriculture. He purchased and began operating his farm in Volcano in 1978. Kokubun was elected to the Hawaii County Council in 1984 and was re-elected in 1988 served as Chairman of the County Council. Kokubun was appointed by Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano to serve as the Hawaii Island Member of the State Board of Land and Natural Resources beginning in 1998. When a vacancy occurred in the State Senate District 2 in 2000, Governor Cayetano appointed Kokubun to complete the term in the Senate until 2002, and was subsequently re-elected to the Senate in 2004 and 2006.

Duane Okamoto, Duane Okamoto has been deputy to the Chairperson for the Hawaii Department of Agriculture since 2005. Previous to this appointment he was managing his own consulting firm. He has also held financial management positions with a wholesale importer, an educational consulting firm and a government consulting firm, all located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Okamoto has an MBA and came with his family to Hawaii in 1989. He also spent 4 years in Ghana, West Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Howard Dicus reports business and economic news on KGMB9 and PBS Hawaii, as well as filing economic reports for WTOP Newsradio in Washington, D.C. He specializes in explaining such issues to a general audience and connecting the dots between different areas of human endeavor. For example, he says, most people are interested in agriculture issues because if you turn a farm story inside out, it's about food.

Paul Roberts Public Lecture and Book Signing

All You Can Eat: The Uncertain Future of the Modern Food System

Paul Roberts’s first book, The End Of Oil, was a critically acclaimed bestseller. Roberts has also written for the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and Harper’s Magazine, and appears regularly on national and international television and radio news shows, including CNN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight, the BBC, PBS NewsHour, the CBS Evening News, and on NPR’s Morning Edition, On Point, Weekend Edition, and Fresh Air. He lives in Washington State. Paul Roberts lectures frequently on food, energy, and other resource issues, and has delivered keynote addresses to organizations ranging from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Council on Foreign Relations to Washington State University and the World Affairs Council.

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