STAND. COM. REP. NO.  755-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 280

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 280, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to repeal the requirement that all Hawaii-grown green coffee beans be inspected and certified by the Department of Agriculture for grade and origin and the related prohibition on shipping uninspected green coffee beans outside the area of geographic origin.

The Kona Coffee Council; Hawaii Coffee Company; Hawaii Coffee Association; Rural Kona Mill and Museum; Greenwell Farms, Inc.; Hawaii Coffee Growers Association; Dole Food Company; Captain Cook Coffee Company; McDonalds of Hawaii; and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Kona Coffee Farmers Association and many concerned individuals testified in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and Ka‘u Farm Bureau provided comments on this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 280, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair