Here in WA the organic food program in the department of agriculture is
increasing in size because more growers are producing organic produce.

In 1997 I studied the organic standards proposed by the Oregon Tilth
Association.  I found it to be 15 pages of ideas and standards that fit soil
grown produce fairly well but in my opinion, didn't meet the need of honey
producers at all.  Its language for bees and honey strongly indicated that
the authors didn't know anything about beekeeping, disease management, or
honey production and packing processes.  It included such things as the
hives must be a stated distance from garbage land fills, poorly described
roads, industrial areas, and cities.  It required the beekeeper to know
where the cattle drinking facilities were, what chemicals were applied by
everyone within the foraging distance of the apiary, to keep records on all
this information, and be subject to inspection at cost.

None of the requirements were based on science.  There wasn't any
requirement to ascertain the level of pollution, chemicals, or other
man-made materials in so-called non-organic honey, nor was there a
requirement to test organic honey.  In other words, there is no scientific
evidence, that I am aware of, that so-called organic honey is more pure than
non-organic honey nor of any more health benefit to consumers.  It appeared
that the standards were based upon soil grown, prescribed site production
rather on the work of free flying insects.

I wrote a 14 page analysis of the Standards for our organic program manager
stating all of the shortcomings of the document.  Needless to say when the
USDA proposed their standards I wrote in opposition to them on the same
grounds as found in the Oregon Standards.  There had been some talk that the
OR Standards were to become the federal proposed standards.

There may be some areas in the continental US and Alaska where organic honey
may be produced but here in WA where ever flowers grow there will be some
impact from industry, urban areas, synthetic fertilizers, cattle foraging,
or the effects of down wind movement of these.  Add to these the need for
chemical use in the maintenance of bee colonies to keep them alive and I
think it becomes extremely difficult to cost effectively produce organic
honey.

James C. Bach
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