21/06/2025
US HONEY IS NOT ORGANIC. Here’s why!
Our honey is NOT USDA organic.
If you’ve been here a while, you might be surprised. I’m sure you’re thinking: “But Tara…you always preach the most sustainable and ethical practices?!”
The reality is that I can’t get my honey certified organic. The reason? Because it’s produced in the US.
The USDA does not have any standards or a certification program for US producers. It’s a complicated issue, but basically because bees can travel for long distances, it’s almost impossible to ensure they are only visiting plants that have not been treated with any pesticide.
BUT you’ve SEEN honey with the organic label!?! This is where the whole thing gets really wild…
If a honey is produced in a third country and gets that country’s organic certification, a bottler can seek the certification and use the label. So choosing “USDA Organic” just means you are choosing honey that is produced outside of the US. (And I gotta tell you, because of all we know about bees, I’m very skeptical of the true ‘organic’ nature of those honeys.)
So what do you do? Choose honey from a beekeeper you trust. Ask about their practices. Can they tell you about the practices used to produce they honey? Are they honey packers or actually beekeepers? Do they employ a ‘bees first, honey second’ practice?
For example: someone sent me a link to a company selling bee bread, a hive product bees make from pollen. I emailed the company to ask if they could share their harvesting process with me. The response “We don’t have anyone available to answer that question for you.” Got it. MOVING ON……..
This USDA practice hurts US producers. And honestly, theres so very few of us to begin with. Most of the honey is already coming from overseas, undercutting our prices, and harming our market. Choose wisely. Ask questions. Choose local or from a beekeeper you know and trust!
What are your thoughts on this USDA practice?!
