PRESS RELEASEĀ February 3, 2015Ā Ā Kona Coffee Farmers Petition Hawaii LegislatorsĀ : Sign here>Ā Ā http://tinyurl.com/KCFA-Petition
Anita Kelleher, Public Relations Committee ChairĀ anitakelleher@me.com
On behalf of its more than 300 members, the Kona Coffee Farmers Association has initiated an online Petition to Hawaii State Legislators asking them to put a stop to the marketing of deceptively labeled coffee blends using names such as āKonaā, āMauiā, āKaāuā on packages containing 90% Foreign-Grown coffee.
More than 1600 signers have joined the Petitionāand every day more coffee farmers and supporters of Kona Coffee add their names.
Specifically the Petition asks Legislators to follow the requests of Hawaii County Councilās Resolution 501-14–A resolution drafted by South Kona Council Member Brenda Ford and unanimously passed on October 15, 2014.Ā Ā That Resolution asks for two significant changes to state law:Ā Ā (1) a minimum of 51% genuine content in any Hawaii coffee blend; and (2) clear identification on the package of the percentage and origin of Foreign-Grown coffee.Ā Ā The Resolution expressly found that anything less than 51% genuine content in packages labeled as Hawaii or Hawaii regional coffee blends is āinherently deceptive and misleadingā.Ā
With an impetus from the Hawaii County Council Resolution and the KCFA Petition, Hawaii County Legislators have respondedā
Hawaii House Bill 387 has been introduced by Rep. Richard Creagan and sponsored by 8 other Representatives. This bill requires Hawaii coffee blend labels to disclose regional origins and per cent by weight of the blended coffees and it prohibits using geographic origins of coffee in labeling or advertising, when roasted or instant coffee contains less than 51 per cent coffee by weight from that geographic origin.Ā For more than 23 years Hawaii has been the only region anywhere in the world to authorize by law the use of the its regional names (āKonaā, āMauiā, āKaāuā, etc.) on packages with only 10% genuine content.Ā Ā HB387 would provide a major step toward fair marketing and consumer protection standards to protect the integrity of Hawaii-Grown coffee.
State Senator Russell Ruderman (from Hawaii County and Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee) has also introduced, along with 6 other co-sponsors, a similar bill in the SenateāSenate Bill 594.Ā Ā The Ruderman bill goes even a step further in protecting the integrity of Hawaii-Grown coffee by requiring a minimum of 80% genuine content in coffee labeled as a Hawaii or Hawaii regional coffee blend. Ā
The KCFA supports both these billsāeither would provide a significant step toward protecting the integrity of Hawaii-Grown coffee and protecting the economic interests of coffee growers. Ā
Additional Note:Ā Many of the signers of the Petition are mainland and foreign residents who have visited Hawaii and who express dismay that Hawaii law authorizes deceptive use of the names āKonaā, āMauiā, āKaāuā on packages of 90% Foreign-Grown coffee.Ā People donāt like to be deceived.Ā This practice is bad for Hawaii tourism. Tourists like going places where they are treated fairly, not cheated. The Creagan and Ruderman bills are consistent with, and important to, the Stateās efforts to build the goodwill and affection of visitors.
References:Ā The PetitionĀ Ā —Ā Ā Go to>Ā http://tinyurl.com/KCFA-Petition.
Hawaii County Resolution 501-14Ā Ā — clickĀ hereĀ HB387Ā Ā —Ā http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2015/bills/HB387_.htm