Big Island coffee farmers are struggling this legislative to protect the Kona brand from what they view as unscrupulous marketing techniques of Kona blenders. 

Now they are reaching out to protect the Hawaii tea industry as well. 

Senate Bill 2957 would establish labeling requirements for Hawaii grown tea. But Bruce Corker, a board member of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association senses deception. 

According to testimony submitted on the bill and emailed to Civil Beat: 

I am a coffee and avocado farmer in Holualoa in Hawaii County and testify in OPPOSITION to SB2957.

The Senate’s “Consumer Protection” committee should be ASHAMED to even be offering a hearing to this bill.

SB2957 authorizes unscrupulous marketers to rip off consumers and to rip off farmers by deceptively using the “Hawaii” name on labels for products (25% blended Hawaii-grown teas) that are primarily grown elsewhere.

Currently Hawaii is the only region anywhere in the world that—by law—authorizes the use of the name of one of its specialty agricultural products with only 10% genuine content.  See the Hawaii 10% coffee blend labeling law, HRS 486-120.6. Hawaii tea growers should not be subjected to the same sort of deceptive labeling that is now damaging the reputation and economic viability of Hawaii-grown coffee.