UH Hilo Catalog
 
 

College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management

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For information, please contact:

Office of the Dean
Business Office-121
(808) 974-7393
(808) 974-7674 (fax)
www.uhh.hawaii.edu/academics/cafnrm/

OR
UH Hilo Admissions Office
Office of Student Affairs
(808) 974-7414
(808) 974-7691 (fax)
Email: uhhadm@hawaii.edu
www.uhh.hawaii.edu/studentaffairs/admissions/

Professors:
Lorna H. Arita-Tsutsumi, Ph.D.
Kevin D. Hopkins, Ph.D.
Christopher Lu, Ph.D.
Bruce W. Mathews, Ph.D.
William S. Sakai, Ph.D.
Sabry A. Shehata, Ph.D.
Michael H. Shintaku, Ph.D
William W.M. Steiner, Ph.D. (Dean, College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management)
Michael J. Tanabe, Ph.D.
Marcel Tsang, Ph.D.

Associate Professors:
Erik R. Cleveland, Ph.D.
Maria C. Haws, Ph.D.

Assistant Professors:
Julie Luiz Adrian, D.V.M.
Norman Q. Arancon, Ph.D.
Yiqing Li, Ph.D.

Purpose

The purpose of the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM) is to provide quality education to assist individuals in acquiring the scientific knowledge, attitudes, and practical skills needed to practice environmentally sound, sustainable agriculture and to be productive and responsible global citizens. The program blends comprehensive classroom instruction with practical, technology-based education through the use of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Agricultural Farm Laboratory and on-campus laboratory facilities. CAFNRM graduates skilled agriculturalists who can further develop and promote agriculture in the State of Hawaiʻi, the United States, the Pacific Basin, and other countries. The College is especially interested in moving agriculture in the tropical and semitropical areas of the Pacific Basin toward more economical and self-sustaining methods.

Goals for Student Learning

A student upon graduating from the College should have acquired the following knowledge, skills, and attitudes:

Knowledge

  • Scientific principles on which agriculture is based
  • Understanding the application of state-of-the-art techniques, processes, and concepts of environmentally sound agriculture, particularly in tropical and sub-tropical climates, in fields selected from:
    • tropical crops (ornamental plants, orchids, fruits and nuts, and vegetables)
    • aquaculture
    • livestock management (sheep, goats, cattle, swine, poultry, and horses)
    • forestry
    • natural resource management
  • Ability to develop and adopt innovative approaches to the production, post production, and marketing aspects of agriculture
  • An understanding of the role of agriculture in the changing geophysical, economic, and sociocultural world environment
  • An understanding of the central role food production plays in supporting sustainable communities

Skills

  • Ability to use existing technology for professional purposes
  • Proficiency with computer applications and Internet resources, including word processing, data management, presentation software, email communication, and Web information sources
  • Effective written and oral communication skills as required for professional objectives
  • Mathematical skills required for professional purposes
  • Analytic, critical thinking, and problem solving adeptness
  • Job finding skills
  • Ability to grow one’s own food in a sustainable, cost-efficient manner

Attitudes and Values

  • Alohaʻaina: the commitment to stewardship of natural and agricultural resources
  • Aloha, Kokua, ʻOhana, and Laulima: the commitment to work with others to improve agriculture and to benefit the community.

Special Aspects of the College

College Facilities

A unique feature of the College is the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Agricultural Farm Laboratory. On 110 acres of land, students can experience practical learning in various enterprises such as: anthuriums, ornamental foliage, hydroponics, floriculture plants, orchids, forestry, vegetables, sustainable agriculture (including permaculture and organic agriculture principles), livestock production, beekeeping, tropical fruit, and aquaculture. Because direct application of newly gained knowledge is an integral part of the College’s educational goals, many laboratories and courses are based on the farm.

On campus, the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management building provides laboratories for courses in horticulture, plant tissue culture, animal science, entomology, plant pathology, plant physiology, soil science, agronomy, aquaculture, crop protection, and agribusiness. Students can also utilize the laboratories and campus greenhouses for special projects in directed research courses. Hilo’s location in the center of a large farming community provides opportunities for field trips to many diversified agricultural and aquaculture enterprises.

The farm also houses the developing paddocks, rodeo arena, and covered pavilion for College Rodeo Club events, animal science courses, flower shows, and community related events. Equestrian courses in horse training, riding activities, reining, and other events will be taught beginning in 2007.

Students who are members of the CAFNRM Agriculture Student Organization or the Rodeo Club will be able through sponsorship to use portions of the farm to generate funds for activities and ideals that they support. The Clubs in CAFNRM enable scholarship and foster interaction, ability to work together, and collegiality among future leaders in the Agricultural sciences.

Note: Shoes or boots are required in all farm and field laboratory classes. In addition, suitable eye protection may be required in certain laboratory classes. Riding events will require wearing of protective head gear for liability purposes.

Student Organizations

NAMA—The National Agri-Marketing Association is a great way for college students to begin their careers in agribusiness. A student NAMA member develops marketing and communication skills, attends career fairs to explore a variety of opportunities in agribusiness, and networks with industry professionals. The UH Hilo NAMA chapter participates in a marketing competition at the annual Agri-Marketing Conference & Trade Show. Since the establishment of the UH Hilo NAMA chapter in 1992, it has been a semi-finalist five times and placed third in 1999 in this national competition. Membership is open to students from every discipline on all eleven UH campuses. For additional information, contact Dr. Sabry Shehata at (808) 933-0856 or sabry@hawaii.edu.

CAFNRM Agriculture Students Organization—This organization is open to every student who joins CAFNRM. Students are expected to help in maintaining a collegial atmosphere that is nurturing and enables the growth of the CANFRM ohana. The ASO will manage an on-campus farmer’s market, will assist and operate food booths at rodeo and pavilion events, and will provide students to help in tours and guided educational visits to the campus and the farm. From time-to-time, ASO will provide aid to farm managers in repair and maintenance of farm property and facilities. ASO will through its fund-raising events provide funding for the Welcome New Members first semester event, and the annual end of year CAFNRM Deans celebration, and for other events they deem worthy of support. Through Organization activities, students make life-long friendships, learn business and management skills, participate in group activities, foster collegiality and civility, and bring respect for the agricultural, forestry and natural science disciplines and the issues that surround them.

UHH Rodeo Club “Paniolos”—CAFNRM will begin sign up for a rodeo club beginning Fall 2006. Students must maintain a “C” average to remain in the Club. The Paniolos eventually will compete in College-sanctioned rodeos in one of four leagues on the West Coast. The club members will, through club activities, become proficient in learning animal physiology, behavior, and training, skills that will enable them to develop businesses managing animal care facilities, animal training facilities, and animal feeding and livestock care and sales. The club will aid development of networks among mainland industry professionals and like-minded students. Through competition in College Rodeo sanctioned events, students will learn discipline and skills that will benefit them throughout life. Membership in the Rodeo Club will be open to students in every discipline on all eleven UH campuses as long as one semester can be taken in residence at UHH. For additional information contact Dr. William Steiner, steiner@hawaii.edu.

Curricula

The College offers the Bachelor of Science degree (B.S.) in seven areas of specialization:

  1. General Agriculture
  2. Agribusiness
  3. Agroecology and Environmental Quality
  4. Animal Science
    1. Pre-Veterinary Curriculum
    2. Sustainable Livestock Production Curriculum
  5. Aquaculture
  6. Crop Protection
  7. Tropical Horticulture

Full descriptions of the above specialties are given in the next section. Please be aware that in order to provide students a well-balanced education, a good portion of a typical curriculum consists of College of Arts and Sciences courses in addition to CAFNRM courses. Types of courses offered by CAFNRM are as follows:

  • Agriculture (AG). Provides a broad preparation in the basic and applied sciences of modern agriculture.
  • Agribusiness (AGBU). Provides a strong background in the business aspect of agriculture, including management, sales and distribution.
  • Agricultural Economics (AGEC). Provides an understanding of economic theory and economic policy and efficient management with limited economic resources in the production of food and fiber.
  • Agricultural Engineering (AGEN). Provides basic mechanical skills and engineering principles required for the student to be successful in modern agricultural enterprises.
  • Agronomy (AGRN). Provides the theory and practice of field-crop (food, fiber and feed) production and soil management.
  • Animal Science (ANSC). Provides a wide variety of courses that integrate genetics, health, housing, management, nutrition, physiology, reproduction and evaluation of livestock.
  • Aquaculture (AQUA). Provides a broad understanding of the scientific basis, design and management of aquaculture systems and fisheries.
  • Entomology (ENTO). Provides basic knowledge on insects and their habitats as well as how to control insect pests.
  • Forestry (FOR). Provides the background for the development and management of forestry and agroforestry, ecology, conservation and product utilization
  • Horticulture (HORT). Provides an extensive base of horticultural practices such as grafting, pruning, and cultivating crops that are of economic interest in the tropics and subtropics, as well as advanced techniques such as hydroponics, plant tissue culture, and hormonal manipulation of plants.
  • Natural Resources (NRES). Provides a multi-disciplinary systems approach to understanding and managing the environmental resources of island ecosystems, and their relevance to coastal zones in general.
  • Plant Pathology (PPTH). Provides the understanding and management of plant disease, the mechanisms by which pathogens produce disease, and the interactions between pathogens and host.
  • Plant Physiology (PPHY). Provides the understanding of plant growth and development.
  • Soil Science (SOIL). Provides the background for the properties of soil and soil management, with an emphasis on the role soils play in environmental studies as well as agriculture.

In order to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, students must not only fulfill the requirements for the major but also meet all of the University’s other baccalaureate degree requirements. (Please see the chapter entitled Baccalaureate Degree Requirements of this Catalog.) Students wishing to make timely progress toward graduation are urged to pay careful attention to all degree requirements. In addition, when planning a schedule of courses, it is imperative to be aware of course prerequisites and the frequency with which courses are offered. The information is available for each course in the listing at the back of this Catalog.

To assist students in planning their schedules, the College posts curriculum sheets on its Web site: www.uhh.hawaii.edu/academics/cafnrm/specializations.php. In addition to using these guides, students are strongly encouraged to meet with their advisor each semester before registering.