RES 223 Draft 01 2020-2022 - Laserfiche WebLink

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40..�;COUNTY OF .,.. ,rr HAWAII *� �gSTATE OF d SOLUTION NO. 223 21 . A RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE TO AMEND COFFEE LABELING REQUIREMENTS FOR BLENDS OF GEOGRAPHICALLY NAMED HAWAII-GROWN COFFEE. WHEREAS, Hawaii-grown coffee is known throughout the world as a premier, specialty coffee that is recognized for its unique aroma and rich flavor; and WHEREAS, coffee has been grown in Hawaii for over 200 years, commercially established predominantly on Hawaii Island for approximately 185 years, and due to its fine reputation, has become a valuable commodity with an annual production value of over$48 million dollars in the State; and WHEREAS, although Hawaii regulates the use of geographic names, such as Kona, Ka`u and Hamakua on labels of its Hawaii-grown coffee products, Hawaii Revised Statutes section 486-120.6 allows blends that include as little as 10% of coffee from a particular Hawaii region to be labeled Kona Coffee Blend, Ka`u Coffee Blend, or Hdmdkua Coffee Blend; and WHEREAS, labeling coffee blends that are composed of as much as 90% of coffee grown outside of Hawaii as a Hawaii-grown blend deceives consumers, often results in a product of lesser quality, and according to a study published by Marvin Feldman, a San Francisco-based resource economist, caused Kona coffee farmers to lose $14.4 million dollars in revenue per year as of 2010, an annual loss of more than $20,000 for the average Kona coffee farm; and WHEREAS, to protect the Hawaii-grown coffee brand, labeling requirements for Hawaii-grown coffee blends should be amended to require that they contain a minimum of 51% of any Hawaii-grown coffee named on the label, and require that the remaining 49% of its contents be geographically identified as to its origin and percentage of coffee from each origin contained therein; and WHEREAS, past efforts made to protect the Hawaii-grown brand through the adoption of provisions for truthful labeling of Hawaii-grown coffee have failed due to fierce opposition from"coffee blender" entities motivated by their desire to advance their own economic benefit at the expense of Hawai`i's coffee industry and local coffee farmers; and WHEREAS, it is the duty of Hawaii lawmakers to protect the Hawaii-grown brand and support the coffee industry and coffee farmers at the County and State level; now therefore,