Hawaiʻi Coffee Association Names Cupping Winners
The Hawai’i Coffee Association has finished its virtual annual conference and announced the winners of their statewide cupping competition. According to the HCA:
On the 24th and 25th of June, the Hawaii Coffee Association held its inaugural virtual conference. Due to COVID limitations, the industry’s statewide non-profit association has postponed its 25th annual conference and statewide cupping competition scheduled for 2020. The winners of the 12th cupping competition were revealed at the conclusion of today’s meeting.
COVID relief and the response to the arrival of Coffee Leaf Rust in Hawaii were among the pressing subjects discussed on the show. The HCA has made great progress in providing virtual services to its members. To that purpose, HDOA, USDA, APHIS, UH CTAHR, HARC, state and federal politicians, foreign partners, industry leaders, and other stakeholders have convened semi-weekly multi-agency conference calls on Coffee Leaf Rust.
In his opening comments, HCA president Chris Manfredi stated, “We have a duty and an essential role in responding to these complex challenges.” “Our reaction is prompt, well-thought-out, well-coordinated, and effective. Farmers, processors, distributors, merchants, coffee shops, and the numerous businesses and organisations that supply and support the industry are all represented among our members.”
“While our recent focus has been on COVID recovery and Coffee Leaf Rust, the fundamental challenges of legislation, marketing, quality assurance, and traceability remain,” Manfredi stated. We were able to interact with guests from El Salvador, Africa, the Ukraine, China, the United States mainland, and Hawaii thanks to the virtual platform.”
Emilio Lopez, a 7th-generation coffee grower and managing director of Odyssey Coffees, an agro-industrial company headquartered in El Salvador, will deliver the keynote address. In a piece titled “Living with Coffee Leaf Rust,” he talked about his experience and highlighted the significance of tree health and pruning procedures.
