Labeling law and voluntary certification would help isle coffee growers

By Chris Manfredi

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, May 01, 2012

~~<p>Coffee is one of Hawaii's signature products. The legendary Kona origin has been part of the mystique of Hawaii for nearly 200 years. High-quality Hawaiian coffee is a unique export crop. It is grown almost exclusively on small family farms, helping to support resilient rural communities.</p>
<p>However, the very success of Hawaii's coffee has led to problems of counterfeiting that the coffee industry must address in order to protect the integrity of Hawaiian coffee in a global marketplace.</p>
~~

Coffee is one of Hawaii's signature products. The legendary Kona origin has been part of the mystique of Hawaii for nearly 200 years. High-quality Hawaiian coffee is a unique export crop. It is grown almost exclusively on small family farms, helping to support resilient rural communities.

However, the very success of Hawaii's coffee has led to problems of counterfeiting that the coffee industry must address in order to protect the integrity of Hawaiian coffee in a global marketplace. Login for more...