>
> Is anyone aware of similar initiatives like the Real Texas Honey in other
> states?
>

North Carolina put a Certified Honey Producer program together a few years
ago (
https://www.ncbeekeepers.org/programs/certified-honey-producer/certified-honey-producer-program-guidelines).
It has two levels of certification: NC Honey and NC Sourwood Honey. It's
substantially similar to the Texas program.

Unfortunately after launching a few years ago, it isn't that popular of a
program. I chose to participate mainly because you get free web listing and
advertisement, but in part because I wanted to support the program.
Apparently I was one of the outliers. I'm the only participant in my
county, as well as three surrounding counties. At my local county
beekeeping meeting the program was brought up, and all 40 members present
basically rolled their eyes (one commented to me "Sure, you can get
certified, if you pay the cash for it" to which I responded that it was
like $20 for two years). Last EAS I asked one of the State Inspectors who
works out West from me if he knew anyone that was participating, and upon
finding out very few were actually in the program I asked him why such low
participation. His comment was that local honey sells fast as is. No need
to pay for a certification, as well as stickers, when it doesn't actually
increase the sale price.

To the guy selling in multiple grocery stores, taking "local" honey and
fighting relabeled imports can be tough. They want a program. But the
smaller operator selling at farmer's markets doesn't care about the
program. He sells out of honey each year anyway. If there was a national
program, I would suspect it would fall in line with the "Certified
Naturally Grown" label. Something that some people value, but most don't
really care much about.

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