Support More Good Food, Agriculture, and Environment Bills this Week!
Join us in supporting more good agriculture bills this week!
HB1517 HD2 (Coffee Labeling), HB1568 HD2 (Local Food Procurement), HB1192 HD3 (Composting), and HB1526 HD1 (Organic Waste Management) all have hearings in the Senate this upcoming Monday.
HB1517 HD2 is being heard in a joint committee hearing with the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment (AEN) and the Senate Committee of Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism (EET) on Monday, March 21st, 2022 at 1 PM.
HB1568 HD2 and HB1526 HD1 are being heard in a joint committee hearing with the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment (AEN) and the Senate Committee of Government Operations (GVO) on Monday, March 21st, 2022 at 1:10 PM.
HB1992 HD3 is being heard in a joint committee hearing in the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment (AEN) Monday, March 21st, 2022 at 1:45 PM.
Please submit testimonies for these bills by Sunday, March 20th, 2022 by 1 PM.
Testimony needs to be submitted 24 hours in advance of each hearing. Late testimonies will still be considered, but marked as “late”.
About the Bills
HB1517 HD2 (Coffee Labeling) - SUPPORT
What Does This Bill Do?
HB1517 requires coffee blend labels to disclose geographic and regional origins and percent by weight of the blended coffees. Prohibits using geographic origins of coffee in labeling or advertising for roasted or instant coffee that contains less than a certain percentage of coffee by weight from that geographic origin, phased into a minimum of 51% after 7/1/2024. The bill also prohibits the use of the term "All Hawaiian" in labeling or advertising for roasted or instant coffee not produced entirely from green coffee beans grown in Hawaiʻi.
Why Is It a Concern?
Please feel free to use the following as talking points for your testimony. You can also write something powerful from your experience on why this issue matters to you.
For more than 30 years, Hawaiʻi has been the only region anywhere in the world to authorize the use of its geographic names ( i.e “Kona”) on its specialty agricultural products labels with only 10% genuine content.
Using Kona, Kaʻu, Maui, or Kauaʻi on packages containing 90% imported coffee, which is often less expensive, has damaged the reputation of Hawaiʻi-grown coffee with consumers.
In 2007, the Legislature made a factual finding that existing coffee blend labeling laws cause “consumer fraud and degrade the Kona coffee name.”
As indicated by an analysis from resource economist Marvin Feldman, 10% Kona “blends” reduce the income of the average Kona coffee farm by about $20,000 per year.
Last fall, the Hawaiʻi County Council unanimously passed a resolution calling on the Legislature to enact a 51% minimum for coffee blends without further delay.
Across the globe, various areas already implement laws to ensure that products associated with them are authentic. France requires sparkling wine to use grapes that are 100% grown in the Champagne region in order to use“Champagne” on the label. For “Idaho Potatoes”, Idaho requires 100% of packaged potatoes to be grown in their state. Vermont requires 100% of syrup contents to be from Vermont in order to label a product as “Vermont Maple Syrup”. While Hawaiʻi coffee farmers would very much prefer a 100% labeling law, 51% is a long-overdue step in the right direction.
HB1568 HD2 (Local Food Procurement) - SUPPORT
What Does This Bill Do?
This bill changes the law by requiring all state departments to ensure that a certain percentage of food purchased consists of fresh, local agricultural products or local value-added/processed agricultural or food products. This would apply only to the Department of Education (DOE), Department of Health (DOH), PSD (Department of Public Safety), Department of Defense (DOD), and the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) System.
Why Is This Important?
Please feel free to use the following as talking points for your testimony. You can also write something powerful from your experience on why this issue matters to you.
Sourcing our food locally is key to increasing our local food production and supporting current and future farmers. This can also help develop a society that values and understands the vital role of agriculture, food security, quality food, and natural resources systems in advancing personal, local, and global well-being.
The more we develop a framework to help support sourcing local foods, the more we support our local farmers and help our economy.
When sourcing more local food, we also reduce carbon emissions related to shipping and packaging waste associated with importation from the United States.
HB1992 HD3 (Composting) - SUPPORT
What Does This Bill Do?
This bill permits composting and co-composting operations in agricultural districts under certain conditions. Establishes and appropriates funds for an environmental health specialist IV position in the solid and hazardous waste branch of the Department of Health.
HB1526 HD1 (Organic Waste Diversion) - SUPPORT
What Does This Bill Do?
This measure requires each county to incorporate a plan to divert all organic waste produced within the county by facilities generating more than a certain amount of organic waste per year into its next integrated solid waste management plan revision.
Why Are These Composting Bills Important?
Please feel free to use the following as talking points for your testimony. You can also write something powerful from your experience on why this issue matters to you.
Efforts to reduce landfill waste and increase composting are critical for our future. By diverting organic material from landfills, we save this resource and generate valuable compost.
Composting can divert up to 54% of household waste from the landfill and create rich fertilizer for healthy, nutritious plants.
Keeping organic matter out of the landfill will reduce carbon dioxide and human-made methane emissions, which are greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change and are also a critically important part of regenerative agriculture.
For counties like Kauaʻi, increased diversion of all waste from their landfill is urgent. With the Kekaha Landfill once again nearing its capacity, the county of Kauaʻi is scrambling for solutions to avoid a potential garbage disaster. Support from the legislature can assist the county in achieving diversion goals for organic waste.
What You Can Do
Please submit testimony for each of these bills via the Hawaiʻi State Capitol Portal.
Share this call to action on your social media channels and spread the word! There is more power in numbers.
Stay involved and continue to testify this legislative session!
Thank you for standing alongside us to fight for a more just Hawaiʻi.
Together, we can heal Hawaiʻi’s broken food system.
