Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be. ~ Zig Ziglar Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. ~ Arthur Ashe Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground. ~ Theodore Roosevelt We aim above the mark to hit the mark. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. ~ Harriet Beecher Stow

1. HAWAII'S FARMERS CAN'T CATCH A BREAK
Rat lungworm has accelerated difcult changes in local farming. One local
leader predicts a quarter of Hawaii's produce farms will be out of business in a
few years.
They are already battered by high land and energy costs, intense competition
from Mainland imports and their own advancing age. Now there's another
threat to their survival: rat lungworm, a disease that arrived in the state more
than 50 years ago, has roared to new life.
We'll have a loss of farms. Over the next few years, the disease
could cripple many of the state's 3,860 produce farmers, who will
face more regulatory oversight, more costs and more concerns from
consumers about whether their crops harbor the tiny snails and
slugs that carry the dangerous parasite. My expectation is that this
is going to be a hurdle that a number of farms aren't going to be
able to traverse. Between 20 and 30 percent of our (produce) farms
will go out of business.
The food safety trend is going to cover everybody in the near term,
within three to fve years. And liability insurance is going to push all
the farmers to adhere to food safety. Eventually, insurers won't write
liability policies if they (distributors) can't verify to the insurer that
they're acquiring food that adheres to food safety guidelines.
As unfortunate as rat lungworm is, it has put a spotlight on food
safety issues. And farmers who were pushing back against
additional regulations for agriculture realize now there's no way to
get around it. It's a long-standing trend we need to deal with. In fve
to seven years we will start to see all the fallout in the farms.
Scott Enright, Chairperson, Hawaii Department of Agriculture
The immediate concern is the health of consumers, but the long-range question
is the viability of local farming and the goal of greater food security for Hawaii.

2. Many farmers face new federal food safety rules as a result of the Food Safety
Modernization Act, and this latest outbreak has already brought more scrutiny.
Hawaii Farming's Uncertain Future
By Beverly Creamer Hawaii BusinessMagazine
November 1, 2017, accessed August 29, 2018
https://www.hawaiibusiness.com/farmings-uncertain-future/
August 2, 2018
HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) has entered into
a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to
help Hawaii food producers comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act
(FSMA) Produce Safety Rule.
Under the agreement, the FDA will release a total of $1.9 million over the next
three years to HDOA to establish and administer a produce safety program.
The funds will be used mainly to assess the state's produce crops and
inventory, establish a farm inspection protocol, formulate a multi-year plan to
implement the produce safety system, and develop and provide education,
outreach and technical assistance to farms regarding the federal rules.
This newly funded program will be especially helpful to Hawaii's
smaller farms by providing guidance and technical assistance so
they may comply with the new federal food safety regulations.
Supporting farmers in this way will strengthen our food systems and
help attain our goal of doubling Hawaii’s food production by 2020.
Governor David Ige
Compliance with the Produce Safety Rule is mandatory for produce
growers. We realize that some farmers may need assistance in
understanding the new requirements and what they must do to
meet the nationwide standards and the new program will be a good
resource.

3. The new federal rules will add costs, especially when it comes to
tracking produce. Say the distributor buys a case of cabbage from
the Big Island and someone in Honolulu gets sick. We'll be able to
trace back that cabbage to place and time and day of harvest.
Only the larger farms are doing such record-keeping. I know of very
few farms that are keeping those traceability records. Additionally,
the rule calls for monitoring the microbial action in the water they
use for irrigation, which is another cost.
Third-party audits are also becoming a marketing requirement. Part
of food safety compliance is going to be farm audits. It defnitely
increases costs.
Each audit costs from $1,000 to $3,000, depending on a farm's
complexity, and covers food safety systems. It will be an additional
cost of doing business to continually verify they (farmers) are in
compliance.
Farmers who are already undergoing audits will have an advantage,
because they can show their safety records over time. They'll (the
audits) show you have consistently done a good job.
Scott Enright, Chairperson, Hawaii Board of Agriculture
The FSMA compliance date for larger produce farms (average annual revenue
more than $500,000) has been in efect since January 2018 with rules for small
farms ($250,000 – $500,000) phasing in in January 2019. The compliance date
for very small farms ($25,000 – $250,000) is January 2020.
Hawaii to Receive $1.9 Million to Help Farmers with Food Safety Regulations
State of Hawaii, Department of Agriculture
August 2, 2018, accessed August 29, 2018
http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/blog/main/nr18-10foodsafety/
________________________________

4. HAWAII'S RAT LUNGWORM PROGRAM STILL IN INVESTIGATORY STAGE
Rat lungworm disease is not new to Hawaii. It has been around for decades and
is likely to continue to be a challenge in our islands. As a result of timely
support from Hawaii's legislators, the Hawaii Department of Health has been
able to launch an aggressive educational campaign so that Hawaii residents and
visitors can take proper precautions to prevent the disease from becoming more
prevalent in Hawaii. Eighteen cases of rat lungworm disease were confrmed in
Hawaii in 2017. This is a relatively low number compared to other food borne
illnesses such as Salmonella, E. coli, or hepatitis A. However, the disease has
had long-term disabling outcomes for individuals.* The health department is
charged with protecting the health of Hawaii and we are taking this disease
seriously to prevent it from impacting the lives of Hawaii’s people.
For more than a decade, the department has worked closely with local,
national and international experts to combat this disease, and we are
continuing this important work. From conducting widespread disease
investigations to developing efective testing protocols, the department is
committed to protecting the public's health.
In May 2016, DOH and the East Hawaii Liaison to the Ofce of the Governor
announced the establishment of a Joint Task Force to assess the threat of
angiostrongyliasis in Hawaii. Experts from medical, scientifc, environmental
and public health felds from across the state were brought together to share
scientifc knowledge in the application of diagnostics, treatment, mitigation and
public education related to rat lungworm disease.
Members include specialists from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns
School of Medicine, Pacifc Biosciences Research Center; Daniel K. Inouye
College of Pharmacy at the University of Hawaii at Hilo; Hawaii Department of
Agriculture's Plant Industry and Quality Assurance Divisions; U.S. Department
of Agriculture's Agriculture Research Service; Kaiser Permanente Hawaii; Hilo
Medical Center; Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children; Hawaii
County; and DOH's State Laboratories Division, District Health Ofces of
Hawaii Island, Maui, and Kauai, Vector Control Branch, Safe Drinking Water
Branch, Disease Outbreak Control Division, and Sanitation Branch.

5. In the 2017 regular session, the legislature appropriated $1 million over a two-
year period to provide additional support to its education and response eforts
to better control and reduce the risk of rat lungworm disease statewide.
Dr. Virginia Pressler, Director, Hawaii State Department of Health
Notes, Supplied. Sources: DOH published information
[Emphasis Supplied]
1. There have been 46 laboratory-confrmed cases and 37 probable cases,
resulting in a total of 83 cases statewide reported to the health department
since tracking of angiostrongyliasis began in 2007. Two adult deaths related
to the disease have been reported, one in 2012 and another in 2015.
2. Angiostrongyliasis, commonly known as rat lungworm disease, is caused by a
parasitic roundworm and can have debilitating efects on an infected person’s
brain and spinal cord. In Hawaii, most people become ill by accidentally
ingesting a snail or slug infected with the parasite Angiostrongylus cantonensis
(A. cantonensis). Symptoms vary widely between cases, and the most common
ones include severe headaches and neck stifness. The most serious cases
experience neurological problems, severe pain, and long-term disability.
Rat Lungworm Disease in Hawaii Control and Prevention Legislative Report
Hawaii State Department of Health
March 2018, accessed August 29, 2018
https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/fles/2018/05/RLWD_2018_Leg_Report_032218.pdf
AUGUST 16, 2018
HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CONFIRMS STATE'S FIFTH CASE
OF RAT LUNGWORM DISEASE IN 2018
The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) has confrmed a case of rat lungworm
disease in a toddler from East Hawaii. Laboratory results confrmed evidence of
the rat lungworm disease parasite (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) in the child’s
spinal fuid.

6. This is the third confrmed case of rat lungworm disease contracted on
Hawaii Island this year and the ffth confrmed case statewide in 2018. The
child became ill in late July and was seen in a local emergency room last week.
From there, the patient was hospitalized and transferred to Oahu for further
case management.. [Emphasis Supplied
Disease investigators with DOH are in the process of conducting a detailed
investigation to learn more about the patient and possible sources of
infection. [Emphasis Supplied]
Our children move quickly and are naturally curious about the
world around them, which is a normal part of their early
development. We can reduce the risk of rat lungworm disease by
controlling slugs and snails around our homes and gardens, and by
keeping children away from these harmful vectors as much as
possible. The risk of rat lungworm disease exists statewide, and we
can work together to take steps to prevent it in our communities.
Aaron Ueno, Hawaii Island District Health Ofcer
DOH provides the following recommendations TO PREVENT rat lungworm
disease: [Emphasis Supplied]
1. Control snail, slug, and rat populations around homes, gardens and farms.
Get rid of these vectors safely by clearing debris where they might live, and
also using traps and baits. Always wear gloves for safety when working
outdoors. 2. Inspect, wash and store produce in sealed containers, regardless
of whether it came from a local retailer, farmer's market, or backyard garden.
3. Wash all fruits and vegetables under clean, running water to remove any tiny
slugs or snails. Pay close attention to leafy greens.
THE BEST FROM THE STATE AND ITS CADRE OF EXPERTS?