Olive oil: labeling.

Existing law makes it unlawful to produce, process, sell, offer to sell, or possess olive oil that indicates on its label "California Olive Oil," or uses similar words to indicate that California is the source of the oil, unless 100% of that oil is derived from olives grown in California. Existing law also requires that olive oil produced, processed, sold, offered for sale, given away, or possessed in California, that indicates on its label that it is from a specific region of California, be made of oil at least 85% of which, by weight, is derived from olives grown in that region. Existing law makes a violation of the requirements relating to the manufacture and marketing of olive oil a misdemeanor. This bill would also require a container of olive oil produced, processed, sold, offered for sale, given away, or possessed in California that includes "California" in any form on its principal display panel and contains olive oil derived from olives grown outside California to disclose the minimum percentage of olive oil in the container derived from olives grown in California. The bill would prescribe specific language to make the disclosure and require that it be in a font size that is no less than the largest used in the word "California." Because a violation of this requirement would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law, the California Marketing Act of 1937, authorizes the Department of Food and Agriculture to regulate the quality of commodities produced and handled in California by prohibiting the production and handling of commodities that fall below its minimum standards. Existing law makes a violation of a marketing order duly issued by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture pursuant to the act a misdemeanor. This bill would require any olive oil produced, processed, sold, offered for sale, given away, or possessed in California with a principal display panel that uses "California" to comply with the quality and purity standards published by the Department of Food and Agriculture, as specified. The bill would specify that this requirement is declaratory of existing law. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.