STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2185

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2215

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2215 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEAT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a country of origin labeling requirement for all beef, pork, poultry, and lamb.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Chapter of National Farmer's Union, Animal Rights Hawaii, Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers, Local 996, and Hawaii Beekeepers Association.

     Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Agriculture, Attorney General, and Hawaii Food Industry Association.

     This measure requires grocers to list the country of origin of all beef, pork, poultry, and lamb sold in Hawaii.  It would allow consumers to know where the meat they are buying is coming from and to make informed decisions about their purchases.  Your Committee is aware that the federal government has enacted similar legislation, but has failed to implement their program since its inception in 2002.  The federal program is presently scheduled to be enacted on September 30, 2008.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by extending the effective date to December 31, 2008, to allow for the Legislature to monitor the federal government's planned implementation of a similar country of origin labeling program.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2215, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2215, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

JILL TOKUDA, Chair