BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 818
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 17, 2011

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                     SB 818 (Wolk) - As Amended:  June 13, 2011 

          Policy Committee:                              AgricultureVote:9 
          - 0 

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          Yes    Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill redefines California's olive oil labeling requirements 
          to conform to US labeling standards as outlined in the U.S. 
          Standards for Grades of Olive Oil and Olive-Pomace oil published 
          in the Federal Register that took effect on October 25, 2010 
          (federal regulations).   

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          There are no significant costs associated with this legislation.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . This legislation will place California's olive oil 
            standards in conformity with the recently established U.S. 
            Department of Agriculture standards, and will also correct 
            technical errors in the original California statute.  These 
            revisions will facilitate the marketing of olive oil and 
            olive-pomace oil by employing terms consistent with the 
            marketplace, requiring truth in labeling, and providing a 
            basis for enforcement by state or federal agencies if a 
            product is mislabeled.

           2)Related Legislation  . SB 634 (Wiggins), Statutes of 2008, 
            clarified the definition of olive oil, repealed previous 
            licensure provisions, conformed olive oil definitions, grades 
            and labeling requirements to international standards, 
            authorized the addition of vitamin E to specified olive oil, 
            and permitted a consumer to re-use a clean olive oil 
            container, can, or drum. 









                                                                  SB 818
                                                                  Page  2

            SB 920 (Thompson), Statutes of 1997, specified that olive oil 
            labeled as California olive oil must be made from California 
            olives.  If the olive oil is labeled as coming from a 
            viticultural area, as specified in federal law, 75% of the oil 
            must be from olives grown in that viticultural area.  Permits 
            the blending of olive oil if the contents and proportions of 
            the blend are prominently displayed on the label. 

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916) 
          319-2081