Lawmakers Abuzz Over Legislation For Honey

The United States imports more honey than it produces, according to the federal Department of Agriculture. There have long been concerns over the quality of some of that imported honey. In response, states across the country have begun creating laws defining honey. And, that is just what the Maryland General Assembly is considering this session. WYPR’s Matt Purdy reports on the latest buzz.

Dozens of bees flit around self-described “bee steward” Meme Thomas on a mild and sunny winter day.

“What can you not love about them? They’ve got a fuzzy little head. They make sweet honey. They’re just so industrious…”

She runs Baltimore Honey, a non-profit that has helped bring beehives to places across the city, including here at Baltimore’s InterContinental Harbor Court hotel, whose chef uses the honey for desserts. Thomas says the honey her bees make doesn’t always resemble honey sold in stores.

“I’ve gone to grocery stores and I’ve seen bins that have little plastic bears on them in the bins for a dollar. And you look at it and you think, ‘Wow, what a value.’ And, you turn it around and read the label and it says, ‘high fructose, corn syrup, flavoring’ and a bunch of other little chemical things that I can’t even pronounce and then food dye. So, is that honey?”

That’s a question that Delegate, Kathy Afzali, wants to clear up. She introduced the honey-defining legislation.

“Honey is a unique product that comes from bees and it has special qualities. That is not what’s being sold on some shelves.”

Under the new definition, honey with added corn syrup, flavorings, or dyes couldn’t be called honey.

“If you’re going to put the label ‘honey’ on the jar, it has to fit that criteria.”

But, the new definition wouldn’t shake up the selection of honey at your local grocery store too much. Here’s Wayne Esaias, president of the Maryland State Beekeeper’s Association, which supports the bill.

“Ninety-five-percent of all the honey on the grocery store shelves is good stuff. Most American honey producers, honey packers, market quality material. They’re very proud of it. It’s the minority that we have to worry about.”

Afzali says questionable honey imports from places, like China, spurred the legislation. Four years ago, the George W. Bush administration stung cheap Chinese honey with high tariffs. But, it’s widely suspected that Chinese honey is now being laundered through neighboring countries. Esaias says the new honey definition would benefit Maryland beekeepers and farmers.

“The sales of honey by beekeepers also helps keep colonies around, so that we can pollinate crops… And, if we can protect our honey sales then that helps agricultural production around the state as well.”

Jerry Fischer is Maryland’s State Apiarist. It’s his job to make sure that the state bee population is healthy. He values the bee’s agricultural pollination work at about 40 million dollars.

“One-third of everything we eat must be pollinated by the honeybee.”

According to Fischer, Maryland has almost 16-hundred registered beekeepers, a majority of which are hobbyists, looking after only a couple of hives. Under the proposed bill, consumers and beekeepers would be able to sue for damages from mislabeled honey-like products. About a half-dozen states across the country have passed similar honey identity bills.

I’m Matt Purdy, reporting from downtown Baltimore, for 88-1, WYPR.