From: Carol Okada, Manager, Plant Quarantine Branch of State of Hawaii Department of Agriculture

The State of Hawaii Department of Agriculture (Plant Quarantine Branch) has issued a notice on November 3, 2009 to all transportation carriers and importers that there will not be inspection services on State Holidays. Click on the "Read More" link to view full notice:

Due to recent State budget cuts, which include the institution of furlough days and the future reduction-in-force of personnel, services that are normally provided by the State of Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Plant Quarantine Branch (State Agriculture), for the inspection and clearance of agricultural commodities will be ultimately impacted.

The most immediate change will be that all operations by State Agriculture will close during State Holidays, beginning with Veteran's Day on November 11, 2009, except for Kahului Airport. Any commodity requiring an inspection on a State Holiday must be held by the transportation carrier (i.e. Aloha Air Cargo) until the next operational working day for inspection and clearance. Please refer to www.hawaii.gov/hrd for a list of State Holidays.

State Agriculture may perform special requests for holiday inspection and clearance on reimbursable overtime, but these requests must be made at least 24 hours in advance of any shipments. All expenses for any inspection service on a State Holiday will be charged to whoever requests the inspection, whether it is the transportation carrier OR importer. Any associated collective bargaining rights will be followed in determining the cost for the inspection and will be based on upon each individual inspector's hourly rate for each overtime hour(s) performed, including meals, night differential and roundtrip mileage, if applicable.

As a courtesy, we ask that each transportation carrier notify their customers about the upcoming change in holiday inspection procedures so that alternate accommodations can be made by importers to reduce the delay in the clearance of perishable products.

For any questions concerning the above, please contact:

Oahu
Maritime: Melvin Takahashi - 808.832.0566
Airport: Dennis Nagatani - 808.837.8413

Maui
Maritime: Anna Mae Shishido - 808.873.3556
Airport: Kyle Yagi - 808.872.3848

Big Island
Hilo: Clayton Nagata - 808.974.4141
Kona: Clare Okumoto - 808.326.1077

Kauai
Hilo: Melvin Takahashi - 808.832.0566