> I have a smaller irrational but real fear that if this kind of
> regulation and taxing were made law in a short time all beekeepers would
> be paying the same tax to level the playing field for those who want
> Federal Organic Honey Laws as if it is that easy for some to pay then
> why not have them all pay. A national tax by way of new fees on bees to
> support Honey House Standardization has been in the wind for decades.
 
If this keeps you up nights, think about this: The coming of HACCP
regulations are going to be a real problem.  I don't know what they will
eventually turn out to be, but at the outset there were some who proposed
that all the honey from *each yard* (each hive?) be kept separate and form
a *separate batch* and that the extracting line and tanks should be washed
between such batches.
 
It was pointed out by beekeepers that this would increase the cost of
doing business astronomically without adding any detectable amount of
safety or security to the food supply.
 
Moreover, in Canada we are already happily consuming honey from countries
that do not share our regulations regarding such things as DDT in the
environment and where basic food handling and hygiene rules -- if any --
are very different.  They can sell cheaper and do.
 
Since there have not been shown to be problems with the current practices
and the new regs would make us even more uncompetitive, we have spoken
our piece and are now at the point where we are sitting waiting
apprehensively to see what edicts will come from our masters in the
growing (inter)governmental empires.  Regulation is an industry and the
product is red tape.
 
A friend who deals with European firms says that standardization there
has tied the hands of firms so badly that they are unable to respond to
requests for changes in specifications required to improve -- or even
change packaging on -- products,  and that as a direct result, they have
had to drop good suppliers that have been with them for years.
 
Allen
 
For some reason I have had this message returned to me several times over
the day without it being posted.  Curious.