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Dear Kona Coffee Appreciator:
In addition to expressing our appreciation, the purpose of this email is
two fold: First, to give you a review of the coffee legislation in the 2007
legislative session; and second, to ask for your continuing support of
truth-in-labeling for Kona Coffee.
OUR APPRECIATION:
The Kona Coffee Farmers Association thanks you for signing our
OnlinePetition earlier this year in support of House Bill 72 and Senate
Bill 661 in the Hawaii State Legislature. Introduced at the request of the
Kona Coffee Farmers Association, these bills are intended to stop consumer
deception and to stop damage to the reputation of Kona Coffee from
deceptive marketing of “10% Kona Coffee Blends”. Both bills require a
minimum of 75% Kona coffee content before the name “Kona Coffee Blend” can
be used on packages, along with identification of the non-Kona portion of
blends. More than 1750 of you signed the OnlinePetition in support of this
clearly reasonable change in the law.
2007 LEGISLATIVE SESSION:
In advance of the opening of the legislative session, on December 20, 2006,
the Hawaii County Council (at the request of the Kona Coffee Farmers
Association), unanimously adopted Resolution 18-06, requesting amendment of
state law to “allow the use of the name ‘Kona Coffee Blend’ only in
connection with coffee packaging containing 75% or more Kona coffee by
weight.” The County Clerk forwarded certified copies of the resolution to
all members of the state legislature. The Hawaii State Democratic Party
adopted a similar resolution and HB 72 and SB 661 were made part of the
Democratic Party’s legislative package for the 2007 session. KCFA
representatives were told by one of the bill sponsors that there would be
hearings on the bills and that the KCFA should concentrate efforts on
preparing testimony for the hearings.
HB 72 was introduced in the House by Rep. Bob Herkes on January 18 and SB
661 was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Russell Kokukbun on January 19.
Early in the session, however, we were told that the Speaker of the House,
Oahu power broker Rep. Calvin Say, was opposed to even giving these
truth-in-labeling bills a public hearing. It is no coincidence that the
two major coffee blenders in the state operate out of Honolulu with easy
access to Honolulu legislators. Nonetheless, it was disappointing that the
Chairmen of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees (Rep. Clift Tsuji
and Sen. Kokubun--both from the Big Island) failed to show minimal respect
to the Hawaii County Council and were not willing to incur the displeasure
of the Speaker--even to the extent of merely scheduling public hearings. We
believe the Honolulu blenders and their legislative supporters recognize
that their hollow arguments in opposition are best suited for back
rooms--not for public hearings. The blenders’ arguments amount to little
more than the following: “We are making lots of money selling bags of 90%
inexpensive foreign coffee at premium prices, and therefore we should be
allowed to continue our deceptive labeling practices.”
We are, of course, disappointed that without hearings our bills did not
proceed to consideration on the floor of either house. However, both bills
remain on the legislative docket for the 2008 Session at the same stage in
the legislative process--that is, formally introduced and pending committee
hearings. The Kona Coffee Farmers Association intends to again vigorously
seek consideration and passage of the bills. We recognize the political
and financial power of the Honolulu blenders. They will again seek to stall
and keep consideration in the backroom. We will again seek to cast as much
sunlight and attention on what most fair-minded observers see as a
“no-brainer” issue.
YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT:
With respect to this truth-in-labeling issue, getting the voices of coffee
consumers and appreciators (specifically including Mainland and Overseas
voices) heard by legislators is as important as the voices of Kona coffee
farmers. We need your help--and the best way you can help us at this point
is to become an
Associate Member of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association. Your $20
Associate Membership fee will help finance our on-going legislative
campaign. As an Associate Member you will receive email copies of the
liveliest and best written agriculture newsletter in Hawaii--KCFA’s “The
Independent Voice”--which will keep you up to date on all matters related
to the enjoyment and protection of “100% Kona Coffee”--including our
legislative programs.
We have just designed a flyer that we encourage you to print out (from Photoshop
if possible-for best results) and circulate where ever you want. Cut it in two.
It is part of our
continuing promotions and you can help. To get this file, go to this link:
http://planet-aloha.com/images/coffeelovers.tif
Thank you again for taking enthusiastic interest in our heritage crop.
Please visit our website at http://www.konacoffeefarmers.com and please come
visit
our farms on your next trip to Kona.
With warm aloha,
Kona Coffee Farmers Association
lastcoyote wrote:.."signed, sealed, delivered, i'm yours"..
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