This is a very interesting topic.
In may 2004, I took part in a preliminary consultation round organized
by the Quebec Ministery of food, fisheries and agriculture. They had -
and still have - a project of law to regulate the use of "produit
fermier" (farm or farmer product ?), "produit artisanal" (artisanal
product) and "produit du terroir". This project was, I think, mainly
inspired by the experience of some European countries and by the organic
regulation.

From my notes and from the documents of the meeting, the proposed
definition for "produit artisanal") was based on 3 pilars (my free -
more or less adequat - translation):
- exploitant travaillant à son compte (producer producing for his own
business, namely an artisnal product can not be subcontracted nor beeing
produced by a brandname company)
- mode de fabrication traditionnel (produced by traditional processes)
- matières premières traditionnelles (only traditional raw material
used)

I remeber I reacted on the second item. It may be applied in countries
of long history that want to protect an existing high quality local
production from unfair low quality production that could destroy the
reputation of a name (let's say 15 years old balsamic vinegar of Molene
in Italia for example). It may be difficult to apply in new countries
with short artisanal and food history where markets are mainly to be
devloped. I also wondered if using polystyrene hives and plastic frames
was very traditional.

The aim of focusing on the mean of production is to warranty the quality
of the final product. So when extending the "artisnal product" concept
to honeys, may be heating or blending would be better criteria. So the
extension of "artisnal product" to food product may be a case by case
exrecise.

> 
> IMO most beekeepers in the USA put little effort into the honey their 
> bees produce.  The mentality is extracting must be done as quickly as 
> possible and the larger the volume per day  processed the better..that 
> kind of honey has a label too... its called a commodity, most 
> commodities are plentiful in supply and low in value or price.
 
Good point. If all honeys are just generic honey, than I am afraid there
will be soon no place for 20 $/hr beekeepers. But I hope there are
enough flowers, honeys flavours and honeys qualities to satisfy all
consumers and fit all prices. Manuka honey is such an example !

> To think that  a beekeeper has little influence on the production and 
> subsequent processing of honey is IMO really quite simplistic and 
> unfortunate.

I though there had been enough discussions on the list about ways to
produce and process honeys to be convinced that beekeepers are - at
least for a part - responsible for the quality (and safety which is
another matter) of their honeys.

> Do you begin to label some of your floral honey as
> Artisanal honey in preparation for this trend, and
> gain an early advantage in this emerging market nitch?

With regard to the definition of artisanal product, I think "artisanal
product" words will mean the meaning you will put in them. If you, and
your local community of beekeepers, define the requirements of an
artisanal honey, stick to it, implemante an
audit/certification/exclusion system, then consumers will know what is
an artisanal honey. Your system may not be perfect but it will be better
than the clearest full blended overheated overfiltered honey - that
never cristallises - on the shelves of you local favorite Wall Mart.
Your consumers may say for example that an artisanal honey is a honey
produced by local beekeepers on local flowers, non heated, without the
use of pesticide, etc. Your job to promote your way of working, your
artisanal production.

But if you are just using words without sense in order to take advangate
of a trend on the market, you may earn more money on short term, but
consumers will sooner or later feel that words on your labels are
meaningless. You - and other artisanal honeys producers in the same time
- will loose their confidence and you will ruin a niche market. So sad
for good local floral honeys, isn't it ?

Hervé
Laval, Qc, Canada 
-- 
  Hervé
  www.emelys.com

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