In the spirit of the upcoming Halloween holiday, the University of Hawaii Maui College is host a Pumpkin Patch event on Saturday, October 23rd at the Agricultural Department complex next to the Maui County recycling facility off Wahinepio Drive.  There will be seven pumpkin varieties to choose from with options ranging in size from ornamentals [...]

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) proposes the introduction of a moth (Secusio extensa) into Hawaii as a natural enemy and biological control agent for the fireweed plant. Fireweed is an invasive plant that is toxic to livestock, and quickly infests heavily grazed or neglected pastures, and even cultivated land. The release of the moth [...]

The public is invited to attend an informational session on brown tree snakes and the potential adverse impacts they can have to a community. The free workshop will be held Wednesday, August 25, 2010 from 6-9 p.m. at the Kahului Community Center Annex located at 275 Uhu Street in Kahului. Live snakes and other prohibited [...]

Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) today announced that U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack has designated all four counties in Hawaii as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by this year’s drought.  A Secretarial disaster designation makes farm operators and producers in both primary and contiguous counties eligible to be considered for Farm [...]

The state wants to release a Brazilian scale insect to help in the control of the invasive strawberry guava tree that is crowding out native plants on Maui and other parts of the state. Officials with the West Maui Mountains Partnership (WMMP) say strawberry guava has become a dominant species in roughly 2-5 thousand acres [...]

The Governor’s Council of Neighbor Island Advisors for Maui meets today, Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 5 p.m. at the Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center.  Guest speakers will include: Anna Mae Shishido, Maui port supervisor, Plant Quarantine Branch, Department of Agriculture, will speak on the agricultural inspection services on Maui. Warren Watanabe, president of the [...]

State and County workers on Maui gathered for a special training session to battle Maui’s newest pest, the invasive Little Fire Ant, which was discovered on a farm in Waihee earlier this month. More than 50 employees attended the meeting at the Waikapu Community Center on Wednesday.  The session was set up by Maui Mayor [...]

A panel of professionals on Maui will update the pubic on the impacts of potential furloughs facing the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.  Earlier this week, the state announced the temporary restoration of 22 plant quarantine inspector positions that were initially slated for elimination.  The temporary reprieve is good for a single year, but does not [...]

The Hawaii State Senate’s Ad Hoc Committee will conduct an informational briefing on Maui this week to gather information relating to the potential impacts of reductions within the state Department of Agriculture on Maui. In a press release issued today, the committee states that the discussion arises from Governor Linda Lingle’s announced intention to layoff [...]