nothing honey

Don’t let claims on honey labels dupe you, according to Seattle PI. More than likely, if it is American honey, it is NOT organic honey.

You may be paying more for honey labeled “certified organic” or feel reassured by the “USDA Grade A” seal, but the truth is, there are few federal standards for honey, no government certification and no consequences for making false claims.

For American-made honey, the “organic” boast, experts say, is highly suspect. Beekeepers may be doing their part, but honeybees have a foraging range of several miles, exposing them to pesticides, fertilizers and pollutants on their way back to the hive.

In their investigation it was found that much of honey is illegally and purposefully mislabeled. Part of this is because of lack of government checks on honey farmers, part of it is due to packagers who sell cut-rate foreign honey, which usually has little problem slipping past overstretched customs inspectors. (note: who knew honey was such a corrupt industry?)

As you would expect, the conclusion and final recommendation: if you buy your honey from a farmer’s market where you can talk to the person who is caring for the bees, you do not have to worry. Otherwise, you are trusting a label in an industry that is untrustworthy.