A new law requiring retailers to label the country of origin of raw processed ahi tuna products went into effect in the state of Hawaiʻi 1 July.
“Consumers deserve clear and accurate information about the food they buy,” Chairperson for the Department of Agriculture Sharon Hurd said in a release. “This law provides shoppers with country-of-origin information at the point of sale while recognizing the value of Hawaiʻi’s commercial fishing industry.”
The law was enacted in response to the proliferation of foreign tuna being sold at Hawaiʻi poke retailers. While tuna is the highest valued food commodity produced in Hawaiʻi, imported tuna dominates the state’s retail landscape, according to the state legislature.
The new rule, which was passed into law last year, applies to establishments licensed under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act of 1930 that purchase more than USD 230,000 (EUR 202,004) worth of fresh or frozen produce annually.
The law will be enforced by the state’s Department of Agriculture & Biosecurity Quality Assurance Division, which plans to emphasize education and outreach. Violators may receive warnings, the government noted, and be subject to other enforcement action.
