>From: James Fischer
>
>One one speaks of produce in general, "Local" is an effective synonym for
"fresh".
>Signs at farmer's markets saying "Fresh Honey" are common.  While the term
is
>laughably meaningless, it is an example of very smart marketing.

Actually, "Fresh" is used to imply "Local", while hiding imported products
(whether from another state or country). Yes, it is a good marketing
strategy. Much as many packers now only include the origin of the packer,
not of the honey (packed by XYZ in state X or county Y).  One local seller
has honey marked "packed for" and his location (which is required by the
state, but is misleading due to no origin for any of the honey).  Not
surprisingly, his clover, wildflower and sourwood are all the same color and
the chunk comb honey looks the same regardless of the labeled nectar source.
Many purchase his products at flea market vendors or local produce stands,
thinking they are getting a "Local" product.



>Lloyd, do you participate in the "Pride Of New York" agricultural
promotion?
>(Here in Virginia, we have "Virginia's Finest".)

Our state has a similar program. Easy to participate wne they even have a
web site.  Getting on it is much more difficult, as small producers seem to
be ignored.

>in a blind taste test of "foreign stuff" versus honey from the USA?  I'll
lay out
>unlabeled bottles from Canada, USA, Argentina, Venezuela, and Brazil

Labeling can work for foreign honey as well.  Those who prefer the taste of
that from Canada or the heather fields of the UK, could consistently get
what they prefer (rather than a blended product of unknown real origin).  Of
course, it would lead to the complete collapse of a market for Chinese honey
in other than extremely blended or cooked products.  However, in all cases
you are talking gourmet products (bought for taste and quality) versus
commodity products (bought solely on price).  In the gourmet market, SB
could market a honey as USA only in origin, market honey with specific
varieties, etc, and charge appropriately.  No market share is lost, as the
commodity market is not involved. Only the possibility of gaining in a
different (growing) market.  However, with a mandate for a minimum amount of
US honey in their products, their problem might be more of lessening their
entire production, if the US content is a minimum in each product, rather
than a minimum of overall product (i.e., if they sell 2 tons of US honey,
they lose the ability to sell an additional 2 tons of imported honey, unless
they increase their purchase of honey from the US).

>The blended products tend to be more professionally packaged than
>the local honey.  To be honest, much local honey looks as casually
>packaged as moonshine

Oddly, this seems to have caused buyers of local honey to prefer the mason
jar type container as "proof" of authenticity.  Now it is used by non-local
packer/sellers who use local outlets.  Selling in "professional looking"
containers (queenline, bears, etc) is seen as equivalent to that blended
stuff at the local supermarket.  Equally so, labels that are too slick
looking. This is true not just in honey, but in other gourmet food products.
One recent find is an orange tomato sauce made with heirloom tomatoes --
$.99/qt vs. $2 or so for store brands and $3 or so for gourmet brands. The
label looks printed on a home computer and has folksy info about the
grower/producer and his high quality tomatoes.  And he had enough shelf
space that the product must be selling quite well (natural food type store).


Karen Oland