Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2162) to provide for the protection of the integrity of honey marketed in the United States, and for other purposes.
Sponsored By: Representative Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]
Introduced
Summary
Would create a federal standard for honey quality and a strict testing and import enforcement system to detect adulterated honey and require clear country-of-origin labeling for honey sold in the United States.
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- Consumers would get stronger origin information and a public Honey Fraud Registry that logs final violations, brands, and foreign suppliers so shoppers can see past enforcement actions.
- Domestic producers would have a certified USDA track for verified 100% domestic honey that is exempt from per-batch forensic testing. Small apiaries could qualify for a safe harbor from country-of-origin labeling if their honey is 100% produced and packed in the United States.
- Importers would face mandatory U.S.-based, risk-based testing with orthogonal dual-method analysis for moderate or high risk shipments. Noncompliant imports could be refused and given up to 90 days to re-export before destruction. The bill would fund enforcement with user fees and set up a National Honey Center of Excellence plus AI targeting to support testing and inspections.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 3 mixed.
New user fees for importers and packers
If adopted, the Honey Integrity Program and the National Honey Center would be funded by user fees assessed on commercial honey importers and large packers of imported honey. Domestic producers and packers that handle only 100 percent U.S. honey would be explicitly exempt from these fees. The bill text does not set specific dollar amounts.
Country‑of‑origin labels for honey
If adopted, honey sold at retail would be added to mandatory country‑of‑origin labeling rules. Blends would have to list all origin countries in exact descending order by weight, but only countries supplying 5 percent or more of the jar must be named. "United States," "USA," or "Product of USA" may be used in first position only if the U.S. is the single primary origin by weight. The Secretary of Agriculture would write a small producer safe harbor rule to exempt qualifying small apiaries that sell 100 percent U.S. packed honey.
Federal honey standard and center
If adopted, the Secretary would publish a Federal Standard of Identity for honey not later than 180 days after enactment. The government would contract with a lead land-grant university to run a National Honey Center of Excellence to build a global reference database and validate lab methods. The Secretary would consult a Honey Authenticity Advisory Committee of land-grant experts and producer-group nominees. USDA would handle field verification under a required MOU. The Standard would include a de minimis safe harbor for trace residues from normal beekeeping.
Testing, enforcement, and traceability
If adopted, the Secretary would establish a Honey Integrity Program to run testing, enforcement, and record rules to enforce the Federal Standard. Imported and non‑certified honey would face risk‑based mandatory testing in U.S. labs with statistically valid lot sampling. Moderate and high risk shipments would need testing by at least two different lab methods. Before the final Standard, imports and blends would need a Certification of Testing or provisional entry under bond. Failing imported lots would be refused entry and owners would have 90 days to re‑export or face destruction. The government would keep a public Honey Fraud Registry and use AI with CBP to target high‑risk shipments. Domestic pure honey that fails only quality limits could be relabeled for animal feed or baking channels.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]
FL • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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