Bill > HCR92

This Concurrent Resolution urges the Department of Agriculture to help coffee farmers buy organic fertilizer to combat coffee leaf rust, a damaging plant disease that has spread across all Hawaiian Islands and threatens the state's coffee industry. The resolution highlights that while existing programs offer subsidies for pesticides and fungicides to fight the rust, they do not cover the cost of fertilizer, which is crucial for maintaining the health and immunity of coffee trees. By supporting the purchase of organic fertilizer, the aim is to strengthen coffee plants, reduce their susceptibility to the rust, and lessen the reliance on potentially harmful and expensive chemical treatments. The resolution also calls for copies to be sent to the Governor and the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture.