A new law that came into effect on January 1 is changing how macadamia nuts are labelled in Hawaii. Act 199 requires that any package of macadamia nuts sold in the state must include a clear statement if the product contains nuts grown outside of Hawaii.
Under the regulation, packages must display the wording: "This package contains macadamia nuts that were not grown in Hawaii," when non-Hawaiian nuts are included. The measure applies to suppliers and packagers operating within the state and is intended to provide consumers with clearer information about product origin.
Richard Cohen, Measurement Standards Program Manager at the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, explained that the law focuses on transparency in the marketplace.
"It requires any supplier or packager of macadamia nuts in the state of Hawaii to add a statement to the package if there are foreign macadamia nuts, and the statement is, 'This package contains macadamia nuts that were not grown in Hawaii,'" Cohen said.
The scope of the Act 199 is limited to products where macadamia nuts are the primary component. Items such as breads, cookies, energy bars, other baked goods, confectionery, milk, and ice cream are excluded from the labelling requirement if macadamia nuts are not the main ingredient.
For farms that grow and process their nuts entirely within the state, the law does not require changes to existing packaging. Tropical Farms, located near Kaneohe, sources and processes all of its macadamia nuts in Hawaii.
"Now we understand that us Tropical Farms, as a business, we really don't have to change anything, because all of our nuts are 100 per cent grown and processed here in Hawaii," said Stevie Jean Tufaga, president and general manager of Tropical Farms.
Tufaga said the legislation allows fully local producers to differentiate their product in a market that also includes imported nuts.
"We're definitely going to put that on there because now we understand that perhaps some people are bringing in nuts from elsewhere. So it makes us stand out for sure," Tufaga said.
From a regulatory perspective, Cohen said the law is intended to prevent misrepresentation of product origin. "The Hawaiian macadamia nut farmer is presented truthfully to the consumer… and they're not being substituted as if they were Hawaiian macadamia nuts," he said.
Growers note that the rule also highlights the economic role of local agriculture. "It does add value to Hawaii and Hawaiian-grown products, supporting the farmers, which then support the businesses and all of the employees that work here with us," Tufaga said.
With Act 199 now in effect, consumers purchasing macadamia nuts in Hawaii have clearer information on origin, while locally grown products can continue to be identified as such under the new labelling framework.
Source: CTV News
