Mat asked "Do American consumers seriously believe that the specialized honey they get is from one source only? (Or is it so?)"
Some consumers believe the labels that state a honey variety, and sometimes it is true!
For example, this coming Saturday I am speaking at a meeting in Virginia. Last year I spoke at the same meeting, and so got to hear from a Virginia state official. Virginia has a law (regulation?) requiring that if a honey label states a source, no less than 51% of the contents must be from that source. Moreover, upon request they are willing to test the honey and order honey removed from shelves if it does not meet the minimum requirements.
They test the honey by examining the pollen grains. When they find that all pollen grains have been removed by filtration, they require that the packer show them records documenting that the honey in the batches on the shelves contain at least 51% of the variety claimed. Of course, when the honey is from a non-US source, those records do not exist so the non-US honey must be a maximum of 49% of the contents.
I believe other states have the same label requirements, but I am not certain that other states are as willing as Virginia to actually enforce the regulations.
Of course, Mats, some of our honey varieties have such a distinctive taste that the educated consumer knows instantly whether it is properly labeled. Examples are tupelo, sourwood, basswood, orange, and buckwheat. (Sorry, but I do not know the Latin names.)
Finally, you may be interested to learn that your type of canola is not usually grown here. The Canola I have seen in Sweden is seeded in the fall and harvested in early summer. We call that Spring Canola. Due to climate differences (it being much colder here than in Sweden during the winter) we grow Summer Canola, which is seeded in the spring and harvested in late summer.
Best regards,
Lloyd
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www.rossrounds.com
Lloyd Spear, Owner of Ross Rounds, Inc.
Manufacturer of round comb honey equipment and Sundance pollen traps
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