I've often said that we should be delighted that we don't get all the
government we pay for, and here's a good example.

 

Texas made it a criminal offense, with 6 months in a Texas Jail for anyone
labeling honey from elsewhere as "Texas Honey", but forgot to ask if there
was any way to differ between "Texas Honey" an honey from elsewhere.  They
also forgot to define an enforcement mechanism.

 

So, it is not clear who would prosecute someone with shipping containers
from China stacked in his yard, piles of empty rusted uncoated "Chinese
grade" honey drums, no beehives, but hundreds of thousands of jars of
purported "Texas Honey".   Nor it is clear if a legit beekeeper who
pollinates out of state can not call his honey "Texas Honey" or not, given
that bees do what they do.  Nor are there any firm definitive metrics to
address the question at hand, even pollen is not going to be definitive.

 

The new law:

https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/pdf/HB00590E.pdf

 

The Texas Beekeepers' published an incredibly understated response to the
bill, moreso when one realizes that it is beekeepers themselves that are
threatened with criminal prosecution.

https://texasbeekeepers.org/2023-hb-590/

 


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