HB496 would make it illegal to use the word “Māmaki” on tea blends, even if the māmaki is 100% grown in Hawai‘i. This bill silences local farmers and punishes small businesses. We need Governor Green to amend the bill before it’s too late.

To: Governor Josh Green

We respectfully urge you not to sign HB496 CD1 in its current form. While the bill aims to protect Hawaiian-grown products, its current language will devastate local māmaki farmers and small tea companies across the state.

HB496 would make it illegal to use the word “Māmaki,” “Hawai‘i,” or even Hawaiian imagery on tea packaging if a blend includes any ingredient not grown in Hawai‘i, even when the māmaki itself is 100% locally grown. That means a tea made with 100% Hawai‘i-grown māmaki and a pinch of peppermint or cinnamon from outside the state can no longer be labeled as “Māmaki Tea.

Companies are being forced to hide what’s actually in their teas, and some are already canceling their orders from local māmaki farmers out of fear.

Here’s what we’re asking for:

• Amend the bill to allow accurate, transparent labeling such as “Contains Hawai‘i-grown Māmaki.”

• Create a pathway for local blends that disclose their ingredients truthfully and respectfully.

• Provide support, not punishment, for local businesses working to elevate and protect Hawai‘i-grown products.

Māmaki was nearly lost a generation ago. It’s only through partnerships between farmers, educators, and small tea makers that this plant has made its way back into kitchens, wellness routines, and agricultural lands across the islands. This bill could undo all of that progress.

We stand with local farmers. We stand for truth in labeling. And we respectfully ask that you revise HB496 before it becomes law.