Focus on PBARC

• What is PBARC and why is its agenda of concern?
• What can PBARC focus on that will benefit Hawaiian agriculture?
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Many millions of dollars of Federal (USDA) funds are being directed to the U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC), which will be based in Hilo, Hawaii, with research establishments scattered throughout the islands.  While it is certainly beneficial to the State that we receive funding for agricultural research, our citizens have grave concerns about how those funds will be utilized.

Our Hawaii State Constitution, (Article XI, Section 3) states "The State shall conserve and protect agricultural lands, promote diversified agriculture, increase agricultural self-sufficiency and assure the availability of agriculturally suitable lands."

Our Hawaii County Plan (proposed) states "The structure of commercial agriculture in Hawaii County is in a state of transition.  While commercial agriculture was once dominated by sugar and ranching.  Trends indicate that a larger number of small, independent farmers producing a wide variety of commodities will play an increasingly important role in the future." (Land Use - Agriculture).

PBARC's Mission Statement starts in a manner that is totally consistent with the vision for Hawaii that our State and County government, and our people, have. "The mission of the U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center is to develop basic and applied information to strengthen agriculture in Hawaii and the Pacific Basin in an environmentally acceptable and sustainable manner.....".  However it continues to outline its methods which are inconsistent with diversified agriculture and agricultural self-sufficiency. "....by managing and developing tropical plant genetic resources, developing new technologies and germ plasm...".

Dr. Dennis Gonsalves, the PBARC Director, was instrumental in developing the trans-genic papaya now grown in Hawaii, and which has failed in the world marketplace.  Genetic engineering techniques introduced into Hawaii would be fatal to our heritage crops and environment, and destroy our plans for successful diversified agriculture and agricultural self-sufficiency. Please review our Key Points for Hawaii.

Homeland security issues are at the forefront of all minds. Homeland security for Hawaii, the most remote island system in the world, would be significantly improved if we can become able to feed our population from within our islands.

As PBARC states "The Big Island is often referred to as the bread basket of the state. Given the diverse number of climate zones on the island, any crop known to man will grow on the Big Island. The Big Island leads the state in the number of farms (3,300 versus 900 on Oahu, the next highest) farm workers and overall acreage in crops."

PBARC will indeed be a welcome addition to our agricultural resources if it focuses its huge capabilities on areas which aid our many small farms to succeed. Genetic engineering is the opposite of that, in that it leads to monoculture crops, patented crops, deaths of beneficial insects and organisms, agri-businesses replacing family farms, and not least, crops which people will not buy.

1. Place a moratorium on the field testing of genetically engineered crops in Hawaii.
2. Genetic engineering researchers be utilized to study and analyze the effects of genetic engineering projects which have already taken place in Hawaii, with particular focus on effects on our heritage crops, soil, water, gene transfer, cross-pollination, etc.
3. Require that research funds used in Hawaii shall be directed towards projects which promote preserving our heritage crops,  agricultural self-sufficiency, and are environmentally friendly. (Please review the list of Research Institutions elsewhere in the U.S. which do this, and Research Areas which would be beneficial to Hawaii - below).

 

 
 
 
 
 

RESEARCH AREAS WHICH WOULD BENEFIT HAWAIIAN SMALL FARMERS

1. Restoring and Growing healthy soil ecology
2. Intensified, diversified systems that include many complimentary
3. crops
4. Efficient water usage and healthy water leaving agricultural use
5. areas
6. Nematode problem reduction by rebalancing nematode pathogens in soil
7. Cover crops for specific agriculture niches
8. Direct Marketing for small farmers
9. Enriching soil through animal & green manures, compost teas,
10. vermiculture
11. Non GMO solution to ringspot virus in papayas
12. Non GMO solution to Bunchy top virus in bananas
13. Growing and marketing for local population


RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS WHICH ARE CONDUCTING RESEARCH APPLICABLE TO ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE AND SUSTAINABLE FORMS OF AGRICULTURE

Cornell University, Farming Alternatives Program (FAP) 
Farming Alternatives has pioneered the concept and practice of "agriculture development" which links local farms to emerging market opportunities. FAP works with Cooperative Extension field staff and a growing number of community-based agriculture development groups on innovative strategies including value adding, direct and cooperative marketing, agritourism, and ethnic market opportunities.

Kansas State University, Research and Extension for Sustainable Agriculture 
This Web page provides Kansas information relating to sustainable agriculture programs and projects. It also provides links to wider resources related to sustainable agriculture.
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/sustainableag/

Ohio State University Extension Program, The CyberFarm 
Ohio State’s CyberFarm features links to research, articles and other programs related to the various types of farming and farm related concerns: woodland, orchards, crops, pasture, pond (fish farming), machine shed (farm equipment), barn (livestock), windmill (energy resources), greenhouse and more http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~farm/

University of California at Davis, Agroecology in Action 
This site offers articles, videos and agroecology program information. Agroecology is a scientific discipline that uses ecological theory to study, design, manage and evaluate agricultural systems that are productive but also resource conserving.
http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/~agroeco3/

University of California at Davis, Fruit & Nut Research and Information Center 
The Center consists of all University of California (UC) personnel whose work is related to the production of fruit and nut crops. UC has faculty, from several departments at three universities (Davis, Riverside, and Berkeley), conducting research related to the environmental and economic sustainability of California fruit and nut crops.
http://fruitsandnuts.ucdavis.edu

University of California at Davis, Sustainable Agricultural Farming Systems Project (SAFS) 
In 1988 a group of farmers and UC researchers met at UC Davis and planned a large interdisciplinary project with three main objectives: 1) to compare conventional, low-input, and organic farming systems;  2) to evaluate known and novel farming practices that show potential to reduce dependence on nonrenewable resources; and 3)  to distribute information generated by the project in an effort to facilitate a dialog about the adoption of more sustainable farming practices.
http://agronomy.ucdavis.edu/safs/

University of California at Davis, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP) 
SAREP provides leadership and support for scientific research and education to encourage farmers, farmworkers, and consumers in California to produce, distribute, process and consume food and fiber in a manner that is economically viable, sustains natural resources and biodiversity, and enhances the quality of life in the state's diverse communities for present and future generations.
http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/

University of California at Irvine & Rice University, Center for Conservation Biology Network 
The mission of the Center for Conservation Biology Network is to help develop the technical means for the protection, maintenance, and restoration of life on this planet — its species, its ecological and evolutionary processes, and its total environment ? and to help raise awareness, educate, and encourage personal involvement of the public and academics alike.
http://conbio.bio.uci.edu

University of California at Santa Cruz, Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems 
This research and education group is an entity within the Division of Social Sciences at UC Santa Cruz. The Center seeks to increase understanding of the social, economic, political and ethical foundations of agricultural sustainability; to establish the ecological and agronomic basis for sustainable production systems; and to demonstrate and facilitate the use of information necessary to adopt these systems.
http://zzyx.ucsc.edu/casfs/

University of Illinois, Agroecology/Sustainable Agriculture Program (ASAP) 
ASAP facilitates and promotes research and education designed to protect Illinois' natural and human resources while sustaining agricultural production. This Web site contains exhaustive information about the ASAP program and sustainable agriculture in Illinois and beyond.
http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/~asap/

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Agriculture, Consumer & Environmental Sciences (ACES) 
This Web site provides information about the college and its ACES program. It includes many links to research and articles, related programs at other universities and colleges, and information about upcoming agricultural events.
http://www.aces.uiuc.edu

University of Massachusetts Extension Agroecology Program 
The mission of the UMass Agroecology Program Area is to enhance the economy and environment of Massachusetts by assisting agriculturists and communities, through research, education, and outreach, to progress toward ecologically and economically sustainable and socially responsible agricultural land management systems. (413) 545-0179

University of Missouri at Columbia, College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources 
Recent papers by John E. Ikerd, Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics.
http://www.ssu.missouri.edu/faculty/jikerd/papers/

University of Missouri and Lincoln University, Sustainable Agriculture Extension Program 
The Program’s goal is to sustain a desirable quality of life for people through agricultural systems that are ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially responsible. This site offers links to agricultural events, conferences and awards programs and to many other sustainable agriculture organizations.
http://www.agebb.missouri.edu/sustain/

University of Nebraska Lincoln, Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI) (formerly Center for Sustainable Agriculture Systems) 
CARI pools the resources dedicated to efficient and sustainable agriculture with those in leadership and community development. The integrated Center puts together university talent in the areas of entrepreneurship, rural revitalization, and value-added enterprises on farms and in rural communities.
http://ianrwww.unl.edu/ianr/csas/new.htm

University of Wisconsin, Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) 
CIAS is a small sustainable agriculture research center at the University of Wisconsin's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. It was founded in 1989 to build sustainable agriculture research programs that respond to farmer and citizen needs, and to involve them in setting research agendas.
http://www.wisc.edu/cias/

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