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Aloha from Corteva Agriscience!

NEWS FROM OUR FARMS

Kaua‘i Taro Company Harvests more than

60,000 pounds of taro from Field 107 in 2022

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Corteva Hawai‘i launched its Kaua‘i Farmer Incubator program in May 2021 after identifying a 35-acre parcel in Kekaha and partnering with Kaua‘i Taro Company. In May 2022, the first lo‘i kalo harvest marked an important return of this crop after 174 years. Throughout 2022, Adam Asquith of Kaua‘i Taro Company harvested more than 60,000 pounds of taro from Field 107! He achieved a yield of more than 60,000 pounds per acre from their first patch, which is double the typical yield from current wetland production.

Kaua‘i Taro Company shipped a majority of the harvest to Pomai Kulolo, their processing partner in Honolulu. They kept some taro to process on Kaua‘i, which produced about 10,000 pounds of poi consumed by the Kaua‘i community, including 250 pounds sent to Niihau for Christmas and another 250 pounds sent for New Years. Adam also harvested the single largest taro he has ever grown in 25 years with a mauka weighing 17.5 pounds! With the oha, the single plant yielded more than 30 pounds of taro.

A crew of 6 to 8 kupuna visit Kaua‘i Taro Company every Wednesday to cut huli and take home a mahele of taro and leaf. Adam is finishing construction of the last taro patch that will allow them to sustain weekly production with a short fallow between plantings. This month, he expects to harvest 1,500 to 2,000 pounds of taro weekly from Field 107. The last acre on the mauka side will be planted under dryland methods (drip fertigation and weed mat) and used for luau leaf production and new variety development and propagation. Adam will also dedicate the two small patches on the entrance road to Kanaka School for a farm-to-school partnership.

Corteva Hawai‘i is grateful to provide local farmers like Adam with land on Field 107 to plant and produce locally grown food that stays in our Islands.

Corteva Hawai‘i Assists Old Kōloa Regenerative Farm

Our Corteva Hawai‘i Research Center team recently began helping Sally Rizzo of Old Kōloa Regenerative Farms with agronomic expertise, field work, unneeded supplies, bird netting, and drip tape. Our farm in Kōloa is adjacent to hers, where she and her partner Julian transformed a field of haole koa and rocky soil into a farming oasis. The Old Kōloa Regenerative Farm is home to vegetables, fruits, egg-laying hens and other farm animals.



Sally has an environmental degree with a concentration in geology and geography and aims to leave the soil better than how she found it. She carefully cultivates the land using heavy crop rotation, resting areas, composting, and periodically moving her mobile henhouse to allow the chicken manure to enrich the soil — all with the goal of improving soil conditions.

Since starting her farm a year ago, Sally has successfully applied for many grants and funding sources, and is appreciative of the family, friends, and community who have loaned equipment or helped clear the land. Now, she fills weekly orders for regular clients on Kaua‘i.

Corteva Hawai‘i is grateful to be able to support this regenerative farm! As part of our sustainability goals, community outreach and consent to operate initiatives, Corteva works hard to support all farmers and all styles of farming.

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Hawai‘i Research Center wins Award for Acheievements in Crop Excellence

Congratulations to our awesome Hawai‘i Research Center (HRC) team for winning an internal ACE Award for their outreach efforts! The team exemplified Corteva's value of "growing together" and "growing with purpose" through several agriculture-related projects designed to connect with and positively impact the heart of the local community. HRC's Farmer Incubation Program has enabled new growers, such as the Kaua‘i Taro Company, to obtain experience and land leases that facilitate local food production. A partnership with The Monkey Pod 501C3 provides access to shade structures currently not in production by Corteva. Diverse farmers, school groups and educators are utilizing these structures to help grow agriculture on the west side of Kaua‘i. The site partnered with the nonprofit Hui o Laka to propagate and plant over 100 saplings of culturally significant plum trees in the Koke‘e State Park in an effort to replenish the Island's declining natural resource. A partnership with the State's Adopt-A-Highway program diverts more than 100 bags of trash per year from the local ecosystem and watersheds. We’re grateful for the recognition amongst our Corteva company for HRC’s achievements in crop excellence!

Corteva Hawai‘i makes it on Hawai‘i Business’ Most Charitable Companies list

With all of its volunteer efforts and donations, Corteva Hawai‘i made the Hawai‘i Business Hawai‘i's Most Charitable Companies List 2022! We're so grateful for our 161 employees who volunteered 225 hours and donated $20,000 last year to support nonprofits like Hawai‘i Foodbank, Kaua‘i Economic Development Board, Agriculture Leadership Foundation of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Kaua‘i United Way. Mahalo nui for all your generosity, Corteva Hawai‘i employees!

Read more at: https://www.hawaiibusiness.com/hawaiis-most-charitable-companies-2022/

AG IN ACTION

Corteva Hawai‘i teaches keiki how to extract DNA

at ‘Ele‘ele Elementary STEAM Night

One of our favorite highlights from 2022 was teaching the keiki at ‘Ele‘ele Elementary School's STEAM Night how to extract DNA from a strawberry. Corteva Hawai‘i Research Center employees had the best time last November hanging out with the keiki and teachers in their community!

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Agriculture Awareness Day at the Capitol

proves successful for Corteva Hawai‘i

On Thursday, Feb. 16, Corteva Hawai‘i participated in Agriculture Awareness Day at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol. The event brought farmers and food producers from across the islands to the state Legislature. Corteva Hawai‘i partnered with He Mea ‘Ono Poi Company to give out poi made from kalo grown on our lands in Kaua‘i!

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Surfing Santa Float designed by Corteva

employees lights up Waimea Light Parade

Our Hawai‘i Research Center team produced three floats in the 2022 Waimea Light Parade! The Surfing Santa was built on a tractor and Gator UTV with lots of lights. We loved brightening up Waimea and can't wait until next year's event! Mahalo to Darren and the team in Waimea for their hard work in creating these floats!

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Corteva Hawai‘i participates in

Koloa School Career Day

Part of Corteva’s purpose is to ensure progress for
generations to come, and Corteva Hawai‘i is committed to investing in the next generation. In February, Corteva participated in the Koloa School Career Day and brought a seed glove germination activity for all the first graders at school.

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Meet Darren Curammeng, who works in facilities & IT maintenance for Corteva Hawai‘i’s Research Center!

Darren Curammeng began working at Corteva Hawai‘i’s Research Center on October 10, 2022 in Facilities and IT Maintenance.

Prior to joining Corteva, Darren worked in a variety of industries, including food service, hospitality, education, construction, government, retail, technology, and various management positions. Darren’s favorite part about Corteva is working with a diverse group of people who are passionate about their job through the stories they share. From his first day on the job, Darren felt welcomed by everyone.



“Every day I’m learning something new, and everyone makes time to show how everything is connected,” Darren says. “I am looking forward to growing with Corteva.”

This past Christmas, Darren and other Corteva employees created three floats for the Waimea Light Parade with the theme “Holiday by the Sea.” The Corteva team, along with Darren’s experience watching and participating in parades, came together to conceptualize, bulid and show off the final floats.

“No two floats are ever built or decorated the same, even if you use the same structures and materials,” Darren says. “It is always a group effort. The three float entries were built with many hands and lots of support.”

During his free time, Darren enjoys learning how things work by taking it apart and rebuilding it. Darren also likes quirky street art, eclectic music and building 3D paper crafts.

Copyright © 2022 Corteva Agriscience, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted in during a recent community event, a visit to one of our farms, or at our website: www.hawaii.corteva.com

Our mailing address is:
Corteva Agriscience | P.O Box 609, Waimea, HI 96796


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