Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015

      “Despite achieving global recognition, Hawai`i-grown coffee has long been valued differently than most of the global coffee market,” Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said. “This announcement by the USDA to value Hawai`i coffee in the same way as the global coffee marketplace will better align with global valuation standards, increase the value of Hawai`i-grown coffee and help attract additional research and development funds to support our local coffee farmers and industry. Hawai`i is our nation’s only domestic coffee producer, and this change will help strengthen our coffee industry and increase its potential for growth.”

      Sen. Brian Schatz said, “The USDA currently understates the value of Hawai`i’s coffee crops, which impacts the availability of financing and the importance of coffee to the U.S. economy. This action by the USDA will make it easier for Hawai`i farmers to get loans and to secure federal funding for research and pest control.”

      Sen. Mazie Hirono said, “This is a big win for our coffee farmers and was made possible thanks to members of the Hawai`i agriculture community, who have been working with me on this issue for years, and our ongoing collaboration with the USDA.”

Sens. Schatz and Hirono and Rep. Gabbard represent Ka`u in U.S. Congress.

      The plan calls for Hawai`i coffee to be valued under a “non-citrus fruits and nuts” model from its current “field crop” model. This shift will allow for a more timely publication of data, with preliminary data published in January and final data published in July. Hawai`i’s coffee stakeholders will be provided with valuable data including bearing acreage, yield, total production, utilized production, average price and value of production on a cherry basis.

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SEN. MAZIE HIRONO, A MEMBER of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, voted to support the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act. The legislation overwhelmingly passed the Senate 74-21.
      “Embracing the promise and vulnerabilities of the Internet age requires a delicate balance between promoting security online and protecting users’ privacy and Constitutional rights, Hirono said. “The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act strikes that balance in a number of important ways.
      “This legislation will help prevent cyber attacks by facilitating a common awareness in the cyber realm. When the private sector has a common view of cyber threats and shares cybersecurity information, companies can more effectively defend their networks.
      “And although the privacy provisions should be strengthened further, the voluntary nature of the bill and the cyber threat awareness it would promote are worthy of support. Consumers deserve to know how their information is used, and maintaining Americans’ privacy remains a key priority as we finalize this legislation.”

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A HUI THAT SUPPORTS CREATING an energy cooperative on Hawai`i Island on Tuesday defended itself against allegations by Hawaiian Electric Co. and Next Era Energy. In a motion to Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission, the merger applicants stated, “Intervenor Party Hawai`i Island Electric Cooperative has sought to introduce into the record evidence concerning plans or proposals for future electric cooperatives in Hawai`i.” The applicants consider such information to be outside the scope of the PUC’s current investigation.