Honey Integrity Act

Summary#

This bill creates a Honey Integrity Act. It directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (acting through the FDA) to set a standard of identity for honey within one year. It requires a report to Congress within two years about enforcement actions for adulterated or misbranded honey. The bill establishes a Honey Integrity Program that, starting 180 days after enactment, requires qualifying commercial honey packers to test honey, certify compliance, report results, and pay fees. Testing must use best available science (including nuclear and mitochondrial DNA testing, NMR, and high-resolution mass spectrometry) and follow protocols developed with other federal agencies. The Secretary must publish a list of qualifying packers, share test data with enforcement agencies and stakeholders, and may use other agencies' laboratory resources if needed.

What it means for you#

• If you are a commercial honey packer required to pay the National Honey Board assessment, you must test honey you plan to market, certify that you have no reason to believe the honey has been adulterated, report test results to the Secretary, and pay program fees. If you identify economically motivated adulteration, you must report it to the Secretary and required law enforcement officials within 24 hours and refuse receipt of that honey.
• If you are a consumer, the bill aims to increase testing and enforcement to detect adulterated honey, but the bill text does not guarantee specific consumer outcomes or timelines.
• Federal agencies will share test results and may destroy honey confirmed to be adulterated after federal lab confirmation.

Expenses#

The bill authorizes the Secretary to assess fees on qualifying commercial honey packers and allows collections to be available only as provided in appropriations acts. It also authorizes appropriations to cover fees as necessary to carry out the program. No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

The bill is written to protect the integrity of honey sold in the United States and to detect economically motivated adulteration. It calls for scientific testing, interagency cooperation, reporting, and a public list of qualifying packers.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.