The macadamia felted coccid is the latest Hawaii Island invasive species to go to Washington.
U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday introduced legislation that would authorize additional research for fighting the pest. The Macadamia Tree Health Initiative also would establish an Areawide Integrated Pest Management plan to help farmers manage existing infestations.
Integrated pest-management systems use multiple tactics to eliminate pests so communities don’t become dependent on a single pesticide.
Gabbard, a Democrat representing Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District, said in a statement that she put forth the legislation after hearing from Big Island farmers during an agricultural tour last month.
“I heard story after story of how this tiny invasive insect is destroying farms and threatening the livelihood of communities like Kona, Ka‘u and Hilo,” she said. “Very little is known about this … pest, making it difficult for our agriculture workers to fight back.”
The macadamia felted coccid has been on the Big Island since 2005, but it is not known how it first arrived. It is native to Australia and feeds exclusively on macadamia tree sap.
Infestations cause dieback of tree branches and leaves and reduce overall yield.
Macadamia nuts are one of the top five highest-grossing agricultural products statewide. The Hawaii Farm Bureau reports production for 2013-14 was 41 million pounds.
In her speech on the House floor, Gabbard noted 80 percent of all Hawaii macadamia nuts come from Big Island farms.
The Farm Bureau issued a statement in favor of the macadamia bill, saying the initiative could be a “game changer in our farmers’ fights against this devastating pest.”
“You can’t fix a problem that you don’t fully understand,” Gabbard said.
The University of Hawaii at Manoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources is currently researching treatment plans for the felted coccid as well as continuing to study its biology.
That research, done in partnership with the state Department of Agriculture, is funded by a 2014 legislative appropriation of $360,000, which was supplemented by $160,000 from the Edmund C. Olson Trust and the Royal Hawaiian Orchard.
The funds expire in 2018, said CTAHR extension agent Alyssa Cho: “We were hoping to get more funding to keep the research going after those monies run out.”
An attempt to secure funding in this year’s legislative session was unsuccessful.
No dollar amount has been specified yet for Gabbard’s legislation.
Email Ivy Ashe at iashe@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
