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COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII .,'.',rt_OF.N,,i' RESOLUTION NO. 501 14 (DRAFT 2) A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE TO ADOPT PROVISIONS FOR TRUTH-IN-LABELING FOR HAWAII-GROWN COFFEES. WHEREAS, the State of Hawai`i is the only place in the United States that can grow coffee for commercial purposes; and WHEREAS, of the approximately 1,100 coffee farmers statewide, approximately 1,000 are on the Island of Hawai`i; and WHEREAS, all coffee growing regions in the State of Hawai`i are negatively impacted if Hawai`i-grown coffees or coffee blends do not maintain high quality and excellent taste or receive negative cupping scores or publicity; and WHEREAS, 100% Hawai`i-grown coffees have a worldwide reputation as a premier coffee and for its distinctive and rich flavor; and WHEREAS, "truth-in-labeling" means honest and "full-disclosure" of the material facts - specifically including the geographic origin and percentage of all coffees in a geographically- identified coffee blend; and WHEREAS, it is inherently deceptive and misleading to label coffee as a geographically- identified blend(such as "Hamakua Blend" or"Ka'u Blend" or"Kona Blend") unless at least a majority (51%) of the coffee is from that region; and WHEREAS, the following attempts have been made to provide the consumers of Hawai`i - grown coffees sufficient and material information to make an informed decision regarding their potential purchase of Hawai`i-grown coffees: June 13, 1986, the Governor vetoed House Bill 2142 (HSCR 472-, SSCR 711-86) which required a minimum of ten percent Kona coffee in the blend to use the "Kona" name on the package and required any person involved with roasting, handling, processing, selling, blending, packaging, or labeling any Kona coffee or Kona coffee blend to keep and make available for inspection records of quantities of coffees received versus quantities shipped, and required the director of measurement standards to enforce the rules; and In 1990, the Hawai`i County Council on Economic Development sought State legislation protecting the interests of Hawai`i County farmers by requiring that at least 51% of a blend should be Kona before it could be labeled as a"Kona blend" but the Council's position was sharply opposed by Honolulu's largest blender, Superior Tea and Coffee (a C. Brewer company); and