HI HB500

Establishes one permanent full-time educational support associate position within the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) Kona Cooperative Extension to support coffee and orchard crops extension and the Kona research station.

Appropriates $76,570 for fiscal year 2025-2026 and $76,570 for fiscal year 2026-2027 to fund the position from general revenues of the State of Hawaii.

Position will provide administrative, professional, and technical support to CTAHR's cooperative extension program and Kona research station, which operates eighteen acres of coffee-related projects including coffee leaf rust and coffee berry borer mitigation.

Addresses the coffee industry's needs, which generated approximately $48.2 million in utilized production value in the 2023-2024 season and is currently served statewide by only one CTAHR extension agent.

Takes effect on July 1, 2025.