Honey labeling requirements... good enough?

[rhaldridge]

Has anyone seen this piece:

http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/...ey-laundering/

Might change the playing field for testing honey.

[sqkcrk]

...by at least 100%

I'll say.

[Ian]

>>>Isn't that what you and 499 or so other beekeepers did? I think it's a great idea. Helps to level the playing field.<<<
>>> "Manitoba Prairie Wildflower honey produced and bottled by independent beekeepers, with minimal filtering and a water content of17.6 percent." and right next to it a bottle of much cheaper honey that says "Manufactured in China" then I think it would turn out to be good for the independent beekeepers. Folks who care a lot about how food tastes are a rapidly growing market, I think.<<<

EXACTLY RIGHT !!! yay for rhaldridge !!

Its so nice not having to talk to nuts in this topic ,

[cg3]

Those local guys need to raise their prices.

You know, I've talked to them about exactly that. They seem more concerned that they're competing against the $3 stuff than the $10 stuff, even though they're aware that they have a quality product. I think if sales of the $10 stuff go well they might come around.

[NCbeek]

I've been in the Savannah Bee Company store in Charleston, SC. It is a marketing masterpeice. It makes honey look beautiful, with bottles and backlighting. Then they hit you with the romance of the "We love the Honey Bee and want to protect it" story. They have all their honey types in a row and let you taste each one and let you decide which one you like. I have more than I need at home and somehow I ended up with some of theirs. Now that's how to sell honey! It's all in the way you present it. You can put it on a shelf next to the other guys and say "pick a jar", or you can make it a multi sensory experience. Most people I know don't buy a ton of honey every year so making it more personal the few times they buy gets your story out better than any label ever could.

[gmcharlie]

Lots of interesting thoughts. Let me add a cpl. First off as a local beek, normally you can bottle and sell your honey from the kitchen. IL where I live allows up to 500lbs a year and your exempt from Health Dept laws. After that you need to have a State certified extracting room and bottling, although the extracting room is debatable as there are no real standards in IL. So when you "band together" you need to have a "legal location" and a marketing and distribution system, whos going to manage that?? Price and quality are important, but don't run down the Sioux bee and others that do a good job of distributing a LOT of honey done by many members here. Just step up and sell you local stuff for any amount you seem fit and fair!. if you can get 20 a lb and still sleep well, more power to you..... I am starting now to handle non local honey in addition to local supplies and glad to let the customers choose which they like. We get 5.00 a lb, no matter what and our distibitors mark it up from there.

But PLEASE PLEASE PLEAS< don't ask for more goverment regulations.... to help you sell you product.