> Bill, can honey there be certified as organic if there have been
> conventionally-grown crops within flight range?


Most Eastern Europe are members or markets the organic honey to EU, so 
they work according to EU rules.

In rules majority ( >50%) of the land within 3 km from apiarys must be 
organicly farmed or natural vegetation. Conventional farming is allowed 
within area. Also some conventional farming which is committed to use 
restricted amounts of pesticides and fertilization is not counted as 
conventional.

The rules are the same in EU and for importing there, but different 
countries inside EU read the rules for production in their countries 
differently. Danes are the most 'hard core organic rulers' they don't 
allow any conventional farming within 3 km radius. The result is that 
there is only about 50 organic hives in country.  But because of general 
EU rules they do allow imports of labeled organic honey which is 
produced in areas with less than 50 % of conventional farming.

In rules countries can ban apiarys with conventional farming in 3 km 
radius if the authorities suspect quality problems ( residues) for 
organic honey.

Apart from finding apiary places that are ok, main cost for beekeepers 
is that winter feed must be organic. I pay at the moment about 1,6 euro/ 
kg for organic sugar.

The beekeepers pay the organic inspections.

We run about 1500 organic hives, biggest operations in Europe have more 
than 5000.

Ari Seppälä
Funland  0

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