STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2751

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2083

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2083, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MILK LABELING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require milk and soy milk beverages to be labeled with the date of pasteurization or the date of packaging.

     Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by one organization.  Testimony in opposition was submitted by two state agencies and four organizations.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Advances in food processing techniques have drastically increased the shelf life of certain foods, ultra-pasteurization or ultra high temperature processes result in milk and soy milk products having a six-month shelf life with no refrigeration.  However, these processes also affect the nutritional value of milk and soy milk products.  Current labeling policies do not require a "born on" date, thus the consumer does not know how long the milk or soy milk products have been sitting on the shelf.  Your Committee finds that this measure will provide the consumer with more information to evaluate the freshness of available products. 

     Your Committee has amended the measure by requiring that beverage products that are one hundred per cent milk or soy milk are subject to this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2083, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2083, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

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

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair