James Koshi, dairy industry leader, dead at 82
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
James H. Koshi, a leader in the Hawai'i dairy industry and professor emeritus at the University of Hawai'i, died Tuesday in Honolulu. He was 82.
Koshi was born on a farm in Agate, Colo., and earned his undergraduate degree at Colorado State University. He went on to receive a doctoral degree in dairy production from the University of Minnesota in 1955.
James Koshi introduced farming methods that increased dairy herds and milk production.
Soon after earning his degree, Koshi came to the University of Hawai'i to help the island's struggling dairy industry. He found that farmers were not following scientific methods, were using "secret" feeding formulas and were still not adept at artificial insemination.
But Koshi was able to persuade farmers to institute his plan that not only increased the number of cows here, but milk production also. Hawai'i soon became one of the top milk-producing locations in the country.
In addition to serving as dairy specialist at the UH cooperative extension service, Koshi was the general manager of the 50th State Dairy Cooperative and executive director of The Fresh Milk Industry of Hawai'i. Koshi also served as president of the Friends of the Library and was a member of the city's Neighborhood Commission.
Koshi is survived by his wife, Irene; son, Kimo; brothers, George, Peter and Sam; and sisters, Yuki Watabayashi and Michi Koshi.
Services will be private.
