RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 2000 (Act) authorizes the federal Department of Agriculture to establish a Hass avocado research, promotion, and information program that is funded by an assessment levied on producers and importers of Hass avocados; and

WHEREAS, exports of domestic Hass avocados are exempt from the assessment; and

WHEREAS, the Act authorizes an assessment on domestic Hass avocados and on imports of fresh, frozen, and processed Hass avocados; and

WHEREAS, the assessment is used to pay for research, promotion, industry information, and consumer information; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii's local coffee bean industry would benefit from a similar research, promotion, and information program; and

WHEREAS, federal legislation is needed to provide the coffee bean industry with the benefits enjoyed by Hass avocadao producers under the Act; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, the Senate concurring, that Hawaii's congressional delegation is urged to introduce and support legislation modeled after the Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 2000 to assist the local coffee bean industry; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to Hawaii's congressional delegation and the Chair of the state Board of Agriculture who, in turn, is requested to transmit copies to the local coffee bean industry.

Report Title:

Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 2000