The Honey Integrity Act aims to protect the integrity of honey sold in the U.S. by setting a standard of identity, requiring testing and reporting of adulterated honey, and establishing a Honey Integrity Program.
W. Steube
Representative
FL-17
The Honey Integrity Act aims to protect the integrity of honey sold in the United States by establishing a clear standard of identity for honey and creating a Honey Integrity Program. This program mandates testing for adulteration by commercial honey packers, requires reporting of test results and any identified adulteration, and authorizes investigation and destruction of adulterated honey. The Act also directs the Secretary to submit a report to Congress detailing enforcement actions regarding misbranded honey.
Honey Integrity Act Mandates Packer Testing and National Standard to Combat Fake Honey
The Honey Integrity Act aims to tackle the sticky issue of fake or diluted honey hitting store shelves. The bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a formal definition, or "standard of identity," for what can legally be labeled "honey" within one year of enactment, following existing guidelines (Sec 2). It also sets up the Honey Integrity Program, requiring commercial honey packers to start testing their products for purity within 180 days (Sec 4).
Cracking Down on Fake Sweeteners
Let's be real: nobody wants to pay premium honey prices for something bulked up with cheap syrups. This bill directly targets what it calls "economically motivated adulteration" – basically, adding stuff like corn or rice syrup to honey to boost profits (Sec 4). By establishing a clear federal standard (Sec 2), the goal is to create a level playing field and ensure consumers are getting the real deal. This standard, based on existing United States Pharmacopeia guidelines and the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, would give regulators a clear benchmark for enforcement.
Putting Packers to the Test
The core of the bill is the Honey Integrity Program (Sec 4). Within 180 days of the law passing, "qualifying commercial honey packers" – generally those paying into the National Honey Board, though the Secretary can define exclusions – must implement rigorous testing. This isn't just a quick check; the bill mandates using the "best available science," specifically mentioning DNA testing, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and high-resolution mass spectrometry in combination. Packers need to test a minimum volume (to be determined by the Secretary) to ensure effectiveness, certify their honey is clean, report results to HHS, and immediately (within 24 hours) flag any adulterated batches to HHS and law enforcement, refusing the shipment. If federal labs confirm adulteration, HHS is authorized to destroy the honey.
The Price of Purity?
Implementing this program comes with costs. Qualifying packers will be subject to a fee, set by the Secretary, to fund the Honey Integrity Program (Sec 4). While this aims to ensure authentic honey, these new testing requirements and fees could significantly impact packers, especially smaller operations. It's plausible these costs could trickle down, potentially raising honey prices at the grocery store. The bill also requires HHS to report to Congress within two years on enforcement actions against misbranded or adulterated honey (Sec 3) and mandates data sharing between agencies like Customs and Border Protection and the USDA (Sec 4). However, key details – like the exact testing protocols, minimum volumes, fee amounts, and criteria for packer exclusions – are left to the Secretary's discretion, creating some uncertainty about how consistently or fairly the program will be applied across the board.