See the below link for a report of a task force of the Council for
Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) regarding "Organic Honey".
While this is a bit off the line of discussion it does indicate what
regulators could look for in providing guidelines for honey labeling.
Denotation of honey quality given their definition implies that the entire
process of honey collection, removal and handling is inspected, and
regulated.
To tap into a local market given the definitions put forth by this Council,
make it nearly impossible in my area given the chemical basis for
agricultural production.  The raw, crudely strained honey markets well to
the small crows demanding it.  This group accepts the bits, cloudiness and
early crystallization of the product.
 
I believe that the truly Raw honey will continue to be a commodity produced
and distributed by the hobbyists and small beekeepers.  Due to the quantity
and nature of handling volumes of honey, commercial producers will continue
to require some level of heating and filtering to provide the longer shelf
life and crystal clear, pure sanitized image that most Americans find
desirous.
 
What the optimum "amount of heat" required, minimizing deleterious effects,
will remain variable because of the varied composition of honey from varied
sources.
 
 
Florida Extension Beekeeping Newsletter
Apis--Apicultural Information and Issues (ISSN 0889-3764)
 
02-26-96  APIS - Volume 14, Number 2
 
ORGANIC HONEY?--RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
 
gopher://gnv.ifas.ufl.edu:70/00gopher_root3%3A%5Bdatabase.api%5D96api02.asc
 
Mike
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               (   (__)_)_/  )\ \> Mike Griggs [log in to unmask]
                \__/\__/      Entomologist/Support Scientist
 
               HTTP://www.ppru.cornell.edu/biocontrol/griggs.html
-----previous message snipped for brevity---
 
>Hi Brian
>
>You are missing the point altogether.  By your definition I can heat my
>honey, then filter it to the point that it has very little color and no
>pollen, then label it as natural honey so long as it is not contaminated or
>adulterated.  This is basically true in the USA.  Some states are beginning
>to set some standards for grades of honey.
>
>My point is that under present law highly processed honey can be and is
>labeled as raw honey.  That is the point.  We have laws that carry stiff
>penalties for selling adulterated or contaminated honey.  What we do not
>have are laws that define what is raw, or what is natural, what is filtered
>etc.  This is what needs to be resolved so that the consumer knows what he
>or she is buying, real raw honey or a product that has been so processed
>that it barely resembles honey.
>
>Frank Humphrey
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>Frank Humphrey
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