STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1564

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.R. No. 51
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, to which
was referred H.R. No. 51 entitled:

     "HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE FORMATION OF A TASK FORCE
     ON THE CREATION OF A UNIFORM EXPORT LOGO FOR HAWAII
     COMMODITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to form a task force on
the creation of a uniform export logo for Hawai'i commodities.

     Your Committee finds that the name "Hawaii" adds a distinct
cachet to commodities, and that many sellers outside the state
use the name "Hawaii" or other geographical designations
associated with the State, such as "Kona," as a sales tactic to
increase the desirability of their product.  This undercuts
genuine Hawaii products.  The State has no mechanism to address
misbranding of this type that occurs outside the State, but if
the State were to develop its own unique made in Hawaii logo, it
would be able to protect that logo outside the State and assure
consumers throughout the world that they are receiving a genuine
Hawaiian product.

     The Commodity Advisory Group was formed by various commodity
groups, including the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, the Hawaii
Agricultural Research Center, and the Hawaii Food Manufacturers
Association to address common issues of commodities groups.  This

 
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                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1564
                                 Page 2

 
Resolution asks the Commodity Advisory Group to establish a task
force to devise a common logo useable by all Hawaii commodity
exporters.  This will assist Hawaii commodity exporters to
establish their own unique identity in the national and
international marketplace.

     Testimony in support of the resolution was received from the
Department of Agriculture, the Hawaii Food Manufacturers
Association, and JoAnn Johnston & Co.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce that is attached to
this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose
of H.R. No. 51 and recommends that it be referred to the
Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Consumer
                                   Protection and Commerce,



                                   ______________________________
                                   RON MENOR, Chair

 
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