Bill Text: HI SR71 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urging Hawaii Coffee Growers To Form An Alliance And Initiate A Voluntary Coffee Bean Inspection And Certification Pilot Program To Help Ensure The Grade And Origin Of Green Coffee Beans And Prevent False Claims Of Hawaii-grown Coffee.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-12 - Referred to AEN, CPH. [SR71 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2019-SR71-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	71
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

Urging hawaii coffee GROWERs to form an alliance and initiate a voluntary coffee bean inspection and certification pilot program to help ensure the grade and origin of GREEN coffee beans and prevent false claims of hawaii-grown coffee.

 

 

     WHEREAS, some companies falsely claim that one hundred percent of their coffee beans are grown in Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, although inspections can help ensure the grade and origin of green coffee beans, mandatory inspections can be cost-prohibitive for small farmers; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 2010, the State of California initiated a successful, third-party, statewide voluntary vineyards and wineries inspection certification program called the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing program; and

 

     WHEREAS, the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance conducts annual audits and ranks vineyards and wineries based on a point system that evaluates the winegrower's use of water, greenhouse gas emissions, and other sustainability factors; and

 

     WHEREAS, winegrowers can show customers their progress each year through the sustainability rankings and certification; and

 

     WHEREAS, a pilot program, similar to the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing program, may be initiated in Hawaii to certify green coffee beans for quality and origin; and

 

     WHEREAS, voluntary certification can help ensure the quality of Hawaii-grown coffee and prevent false claims related to coffee origin and grade; and

 

     WHEREAS, voluntary third-party inspections have the potential to be more cost-effective; and

 

     WHEREAS, forming a coffee growers' alliance, similar to that in California, can foster collaboration between and unity among small- and large-scale coffee farmers; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2019, that Hawaii coffee growers are requested to form an alliance and initiate a voluntary green coffee bean inspection and certification pilot program to help ensure the grade and origin of green coffee beans and prevent false claims of Hawaii-grown coffee; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the alliance and inspection and certification pilot program be modeled on the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing program, respectively; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Coffee Association is requested to reach out to all known Hawaii coffee growers to invite them to participate in the alliance and pilot program; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the alliance is urged to foster collaboration and give an equal voice to small- and large-scale coffee farmers; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the alliance is requested to inspect and certify Hawaii-grown green coffee beans on a voluntary basis; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the alliance is requested to report to the Legislature on its progress in initiating the pilot program progress no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2020; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture; Hawaii Coffee Association; and Kona Coffee Farmers Association.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Hawaii-grown Coffee Beans; Inspection; Certification; Pilot Program; Hawaii Coffee Growers Alliance