KAILUA-KONA — A long-awaited subsidy program for farmers battling the coffee berry borer came online in September, more than two years after the state legislation creating it was passed.
KAILUA-KONA — A long-awaited subsidy program for farmers battling the coffee berry borer came online in September, more than two years after the state legislation creating it was passed.
A product of House Bill 1514, authored by Rep. Nicole Lowen of Kona’s 6th District in 2014, the subsidy program offers substantial reimbursement for farmers purchasing pesticides containing the fungus Beauveria bassiana — the driving ingredient to battle the invasive beetle.
“I’m really glad it’s finally up and running,” Lowen said. “There has been ongoing funding through other appropriations from the state and some from federal funds earlier, so this is pretty timely because it’s coming online just as those funds are running out.”
The program, which was allocated $500,000 and is set to run through 2019 or until funds dry up, reimburses farmers retroactively for the purchase of certain pesticides.
Thus, even though the program wasn’t up and running in 2015 and early in 2016, farmers can still recoup a significant portion of money spent during that time.
The fiscal year runs from July 1, 2016, until June 30, 2017.
Those interested have until that date to fill out the online application and set an appointment to produce receipts and have their reimbursements calculated for last year.
Caps on reimbursements are $600 per acre up to $9,000 per business annually. For the first installment covering the last fiscal year — July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2016 — farmers who apply will be refunded 75 percent of their pesticide costs up to the cap limits. Moving forward, reimbursement for 50 percent of pesticide costs will be available.
Reimbursements should be received within three months of the end of each fiscal year.
“This is short-term monetary assistance to get farmers up to speed,” said Rob Curtiss, the Department of Agriculture’s Hawaii entomologist for West Hawaii Island.
Curtiss said the department estimates the number of coffee farms in the state at around 1,000.
Between 700 and 900 of those farms are located on Hawaii Island.
Owners of every one of those farms are eligible to apply, but Curtiss and Lowen said the program was designed with the intent to aid small farmers specifically.
According to an email from Gwen Hicks, CBB subsidy program coordinator, as of last week 43 coffee farmers had signed up for the program online at http://svy.mk/2dRB8W5