HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0997.007 2012-2014 9AWE5c.
Murashige, Laura
From: Donald Schoenholt <i840coffee @gilliescoffee.com>
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2014 10:52 AM
To: Council Testimony
Cc: cea @smithfarms.com
Subject: Testimony in Support for Res. Nos. 500-14 & 501-14
Attachments: DNS - 2014(b) CV.doc 52 D n
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09.15.14 --
To:The Agriculture, Water& Energy Committee r
For: The Committee's September 16, 2014 meeting ... �
Re: Support for Resolution Nos. 500-14 and 501-14
Dear Committee Members,
The delicious, pure coffee of Kona Hawaii is known by coffee professionals and coffee lovers the world over for its
fragrance and smooth taste. It is also recognized as rarely being a significant ingredient in, or recognizable taste
component in the beautiful packages marketed throughout the mainland US and abroad as Kona Blend Coffee.This is a
crying shame, as consumers buy the package, in good faith, expecting to find a vacation in their mug, and are often
disappointed with an inferior brew. Current Hawaiian labelling criteria hide the percentages of real Kona and the
percentage of non-Kona filler-coffee in Kona blends.These current practices need reform, because though they were
passed by a well-meaning legislature,they serve to hurt consumers,the Hawaiian economy,the image of Hawaii,
and her farming citizens.
The Kona farmers have been fighting the good fight for Pure Kona labeling for years. It has been an uphill struggle
against vested interests,whose concerns are not that of Hawaii, or the consumer, but rather their narrow own
pecuniary interests.The farmers, stand together, but alone.They need your help in their effort to protect one of the
great, but fragile, agricultural resources of Hawaii, and indeed of the country. Please support Resolution Nos. 500-14 and
501-14 in defense of pure Hawaiian Kona Coffee, and consumer friendly labeling on Kona Blend Coffee.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Donald Schoenholt
Lifetime Achievement Laureate:Specialty Coffee Association of America
Co-Founder,1"President:Specialty Coffee Association of America
Founder,1"President:Roasters Guild
Specialties Editor:Tea and Coffee Trade Journal
P.S. As the author of this testimony may not be known to the committee, I am attaching my CV.
444 4,
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