03/13/2002 03:50 PM House L&C

HJR 45-SALMON LABELING                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MURKOWSKI announced that the  first order of business would                                                               
be HOUSE  JOINT RESOLUTION  NO. 45, Relating  to the  labeling of                                                               
salmon food products.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Number 025                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SARAH  BRYNER, Intern  to  Representative  Beth Kerttula,  Alaska                                                               
State  Legislature,  came to  the  witness  table accompanied  by                                                               
Representative  Kerttula,   sponsor  of  HJR  45.     Ms.  Bryner                                                               
explained  that  HJR  45  simply  supports  actions  by  Alaska's                                                               
congressional delegation  to acquire labeling of  farmed and wild                                                               
salmon.     This  labeling  would  provide   consumers  with  the                                                               
knowledge of  what is in  their food and  where it came  from, as                                                               
well as  providing Alaska's salmon  industry "the leg up  that it                                                               
needs."   She  remarked  that although  Alaskans  know that  wild                                                               
salmon is superior  to farmed salmon, the rest of  the country is                                                               
just beginning  to realize it.   In this month's  Vogue magazine,                                                             
for  example, a  food critic  discusses his  distaste for  farmed                                                               
salmon.    With labeling,  consumers  will  be forced  to  choose                                                               
between  a filet  labeled "Alaskan  salmon" and  a filet  labeled                                                               
"Chilean salmon."                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MURKOWSKI noted  that the committee packet  includes a host                                                               
of letters in support of HJR 45.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 056                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ROKEBERG  requested  a synopsis  of  the  federal                                                               
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  BRYNER   explained  that  the  federal   legislation  is  an                                                               
amendment to  the "farm  bill," which  requires country-of-origin                                                               
labeling   for  salmon   and  that   the  [U.S.]   Secretary  [of                                                               
Agriculture]  has the  ability  to label  Alaska  wild salmon  as                                                               
organic.   In  further response  to Representative  Rokeberg, Ms.                                                               
Bryner   related  her   understanding   that  the   congressional                                                               
legislation originated in the Senate, but now is H.R. 2646.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Number 092                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MURKOWSKI pointed out that  the [federal legislation] would                                                               
require  country-of-origin labeling.   Therefore,  she asked  how                                                               
salmon would be labeled as Alaska salmon.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. BRYNER  directed the committee  to Section  282(a)(C)(ii) and                                                               
said she wasn't sure if that required labeling by state.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MURKOWSKI  expressed  the  hope that  Alaska  wouldn't  be                                                               
prohibited from labeling the salmon as Alaska salmon.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Number 117                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   BETH   KERTTULA,   Alaska   State   Legislature,                                                               
testified  as the  sponsor of  HJR 45.   Representative  Kerttula                                                               
explained,   "You could  always say that  it's Alaskan,  but this                                                               
would  absolutely require  the labeling,  so we'd  get the  other                                                               
country's fish label and farmed-fish label."                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Number 124                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SUE  ASPELUND,  Executive  Director, Cordova  District  Fishermen                                                               
United,  testified   via  teleconference,  mentioning   that  she                                                               
represents the fishing fleets of  Area E.  Ms. Aspelund expressed                                                               
pleasure in supporting  HJR 45, which is an  excellent example of                                                               
state government  supporting federal government.   She noted that                                                               
the large growth in importation  of farmed fish products competes                                                               
with  Alaska's   wild  salmon  and  thus   severely  impacts  the                                                               
viability of  fishing in  this state.   Therefore,  labeling will                                                               
help differentiate farmed fish from wild salmon for consumers.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 139                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
GERALD (JERRY)  McCUNE, Lobbyist  for United Fishermen  of Alaska                                                               
(UFA),  testified  in  support  of  HJR  45.    He  informed  the                                                               
committee  that  after  his last  discussion  with  U.S.  Senator                                                               
Murkowski, he  understood that  the labeling  would be  [from the                                                               
state of  origin].  This resolution  is a good step.   Mr. McCune                                                               
recalled [that  the federal legislation] called  for the labeling                                                               
to include whatever  is added to the fish, such  as salt would be                                                               
added for smoked fish.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG  inquired whether anything in  federal or                                                               
state law would prohibit a retailer from labeling Alaska salmon.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. McCUNE answered that he didn't  believe so.  He noted that in                                                               
Alaska some markets  advertise Alaska salmon and  some label them                                                               
as  farmed, wild,  or previously  frozen  wild.   He related  his                                                               
belief that  Washington State is  the only state with  a labeling                                                               
law for salmon.  This  [federal legislation] speaks to the entire                                                               
U.S.  He  noted that much of the [salmon]  from Norway is already                                                               
labeled with the country of origin, but that from Chile isn't.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR.  McCUNE,  in  further response  to  Representative  Rokeberg,                                                               
explained  that Washington  State passed  a legislative  law, but                                                               
there was no money to implement  it; he indicated it is now being                                                               
enforced.   The labeling  in Washington  State refers  to whether                                                               
the [salmon] is farmed or  wild, and it doesn't prevent [labeling                                                               
from the country of origin].                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Number 186                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG  indicated perhaps Alaska  needs labeling                                                               
similar to that of Washington State.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. McCUNE mentioned SB 208,  which addresses the Alaska labeling                                                               
law.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Number 216                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HAYES moved  to report  HJR 45  out of  committee                                                               
with individual recommendations and  the accompanying zero fiscal                                                               
note.   There being  no objection,  HJR 45 was  moved out  of the                                                               
House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.