Growing Organics:
Moving Hawai‘i’s Organic Industry Forward
A day of workshops and presentations for Hawai‘i’s organic food producers, distributors, retailers, consumers, and advocates designed to inform and empower Hawai‘i’s organic industry
Monday, October 28, 2013
9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel
Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i Island
EVENT SCHEDULE:
MORNING
9:00 a.m. Registration Opens
9:30–10:00 a.m. Welcome, Pule, and Keynote Address by Scott Enright, Deputy Director, Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture
10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Presentation of findings and recommendations from the Organic Industry Advisory Group, including a session to gather additional community input
LUNCHEON
12:30–1:45 p.m. Luncheon featuring Derek Kurisu, Executive Vice President, KTA Super Stores: “Developing a Hawai‘i Organic Brand”
The Kona Beach Hotel will make every effort to source as many local, organic ingredients as possible.
AFTERNOON
2:00–3:00 p.m. Concurrent Workshop Sessions I
- Developing a Policy Agenda for Hawai‘i’s Organic Industry
- Senator Russell Ruderman, Hawai‘i State Legislature
- Gary Hooser, Kaua‘i County Council
- Diane Ley, State Executive Director, Hawai‘i and Pacific Basin, USDA Farm Service Agency
- Colehour Bondera, Co-Owner, Kanalani Farm/Member, National Organic Standards Board
- Becoming Certified Organic: It’s Easier than You Think
- Sarah Townsend, ICS International
- Kelly Abbott, ICS International
- Max Bowman, Hāmākua Agricultural Cooperative
3:15–4:15 p.m. Concurrent Workshop Sessions II
- Meet the Buyers: Distributors and Retailers of Organic Products
- Representatives from Abundant Life, Down to Earth, Whole Foods, and more to be announced
- Food Safety: Best Practices and Certification for Organic Operations
- Jim Hollyer, Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
- Maile Woodhall, Organic Certifiers
- Chris Robb, Robb Farms
4:30–5:30 p.m. Discussion of what Hawai‘i’s organic industry needs from a non-profit or trade organization
5:30 p.m. Pau
REGISTRATION
To register, visit http://growingorganics.eventbrite.com or call The Kohala Center at 808-887-6411.
MORNING SESSIONS: No charge (registration still requested)
LUNCHEON ONLY: $30 per person
AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS ONLY: $20 per person
LUNCHEON and WORKSHOPS: $45 per person
ACCOMMODATIONS
King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel is offering a discounted rate to attendees who wish to stay in Kona overnight. Call 808-329-2911 or email reservations@konabeachhotel.com and mention that you are attending the "Growing Organics Conference" on October 28, 2013.
TRAVEL TO KAILUA-KONA
For attendees traveling from neighbor islands, Kona-Keahole International Airport (KOA) is served by Hawaiian Airlines, go! Airlines, and Mokulele Airlines.
“Growing Organics” and the Organic Industry Advisory Group are sponsored by The Kohala Center and funded through the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture-USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
The Kohala Center is an equal opportunity provider and employer.