Hawaii 24/7 Staff

Kona Coffee Farmers Association is urging the governor to veto HB280 (Repeal of Mandatory Inspection and Certification of Green Coffee), which appears likely to be adopted by the Hawaii Legislature at the request of the blenders/processors.

The KCFA legislative committee contends the bill would be disastrous for growers of Kona and other Hawaii coffees.

By repealing mandatory certification of grade and origin this bill exposes all Hawaii coffee to the threat of another Kona Kai scandal.

KCFA is urging its supporters to encourage Gov. Neil Abercrombie to veto HB280:

* Sign the online petition URL: www.change.org/petitions/hawaii-state-governor-veto-hb-280-repealing-mandatory-certification-hawaii-grown-green-coffee

* Send Abercrombie a direct and personal message asking for a veto by sending an email to “Governor Neil Abercrombie” gov.contact@hawaii.gov

Below is an example of a message to the governor, but it would be best if you personalize your email. It does not need to be lengthy.

———

Dear Gov. Abercrombie:

I urge you to veto HB 280 (Repealing Mandatory Inspection and Certification of Green Coffee).

If enacted, HB280 would have disastrous consequences for the integrity and quality of Hawaii-grown coffee — and for Hawaii coffee growers.

HB280 would repeal the system of mandatory inspection and certification of Hawaii-grown green coffee that was adopted after the Kona Kai coffee counterfeiting scandal of the mid-90s. That scandal brought world-wide embarrassment to the State of Hawaii and to the Kona region.

The current mandatory system has been successfully administered by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture for more than a decade under prior administrations. During this period, coffee buyers throughout the world have been provided a measure of assurance from this mandatory system.

Proponents of the HB280 have argued that the 2009 reduction in the number of HDOA inspectors has caused delays in certification of up to three weeks during the peak of the harvest. The simple solution to that problem is to replace the laid off inspectors.

The law provides that costs of inspection are to be covered by fees — there would be no adverse budgetary impact on the State from rehiring the inspectors.

If we are in fact going to have a “NEW BEGINNING IN AGRICULTURE,” the State of Hawaii needs to put effort and imagination into preserving and enhancing current protective systems for farmers — not abandoning those systems.

Please VETO this bill. Please rehire the inspectors. Please protect Hawaii’s coffee farmers.

Mahalo,
Cecelia B Smith
President, Kona Coffee Farmers Association

— Find out more:
www.konacoffeefarmers.org