Bill Text: HI HCR95 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Kona Coffee; Labeling; Economic Impact Study; UHERO

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-03-18 - The committee(s) on AGR recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. [HCR95 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-HCR95-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	95
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII economic research organization to convene a working group to establish the protocol to be used and factors to be addressed in A STUDY OF THE economic impact ON THE KONA COFFEE INDUSTRY from POSSIBLE changES to coffee labeling laws.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the production and sale of coffee is a major industry in the State, with coffee from Kona being world renowned; and

 

     WHEREAS, there has been contentious debate for decades regarding the labeling requirements for Kona coffee, including minimum percentage content; and

 

     WHEREAS, one factor brought up by those involved on both sides of this debate is that changing the labeling requirements will have an economic impact on the State's coffee farmers and industry; and

 

     WHEREAS, based on this repeatedly discussed factor, a neutral economic impact study must be completed to fully understand what economic impacts, if any, will result from changes to Hawaii's coffee labeling requirements; and

 

     WHEREAS, in order to ensure that an economic impact study is conducted neutrally, stakeholders in the coffee industry must mutually agree to the protocol used to conduct, and the factors to be addressed in, a study; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2016, the Senate concurring, that the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization is requested to convene a working group to establish the protocol to be used and factors to be addressed in a study on the economic impact on the Kona coffee industry from possible changes to coffee labeling laws; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Executive Director of the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization is requested to chair the working group, and invite the following people, or their designees, to be members of the working group:

 

(1)  Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture;

 

(2)  Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs;

 

(3)  President of the Board of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association;

 

(4)  President of the Board of the Hawaii Coffee Association;

 

(5)  Executive Director of Hawaii Farm Bureau; and

 

(6)  President of the Board of Hawaii Farmers Union United; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, on behalf of the working group, is requested to submit findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2017; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Executive Director of the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, President of the Board of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association, President of the Board of the Hawaii Coffee Association, Executive Director of Hawaii Farm Bureau, and President of the Board of Hawaii Farmers Union United.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Kona Coffee; Labeling; Economic Impact Study; UHERO