STAND. COM. REP. NO.  2028

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.C.R. No. 111

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 111 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO STUDY LABELING REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO THE USE OF HAWAII-GROWN COFFEE NAMES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to protect consumers from misleading advertising and promote genuine, Hawaii-made coffee by requesting the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to study labeling requirements relating to the use of "Kona coffee" or other Hawaii-grown coffee names.

     The Department of Agriculture supports the intent of this measure with some concerns.  The department is concerned with the requirement to propose a uniform national labeling standard that specifies a requirement for coffee roasters to abide by for the use of "Kona" or other Hawaii place names in the short time provided.  The department is concerned that this is a major undertaking and they are further concerned that no funds have been appropriated to conduct the study.  The department is also unclear if blends of any composition are to be considered in this study.

Without industry consensus on the Hawaii-grown percentage, the Department believes that the study is likely to be inconclusive and would be better deferred until the results of the study proposed in HCR 109 are available.

     Hawaii Teamsters Local 996, Greenwell Farms, Maui Oma Coffee Roasting Co., Kona Coffee Council, Kona Mountain Coffee Company, Brew Moon Restaurant and Microbrewery, Maui Grown Coffee, Aina na Hoku Kai Farm, Maui Wowi Coffees and Smoothies, Coffee Systems Hawaii, Hawaii Coffee Company, Inc., Honolulu Brewing Company LLC, Royal Kona Visitor Center Mill & Museum, Royale Island Coffee Hawaii, Hawaii Coffee Association, DFS Group, Ltd., Longs Drug, and several concerned individuals provided testimony in support of this measure.

     Keokea Kona Coffee Farm provided opposing testimony, proposing a feasibility study be done first.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 111 and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair