I worked on a beekeeping development project in Romania from 2005-2007 that
is ongoing and now has some 3000 producers, many of whom are certified
organic.  Back in 2007 they were working with EcoCert out of Switzerland as
the certifying agency and the beekeepers had to keep thorough records with
each hive and the standards were strict.  The beekeepers were being paid a
premium of 30% for the organic honey.  I had to wonder just how 'organic'
the honey was.  After communism fell, much of Eastern Europe reverted to a
small farm economy and landscape as the centralized farms and industries
failed, and the small farmers simply could not afford fertilizers and
pesticides; organic by default I call it.  EcoCert was doing testing of
honey in 2007 to verify the organic status of the honey and the beekeepers
knew testing would occur and it kept them honest.

We took a field trip to France to visit certified organic beekeepers there
and I came away unimpressed.  While the Romanians were held to the highest
standards for organic certification, it appeared to me the standards were
relaxed in Western Europe.  Any of you that have travelled in France know
that it is a highly cultivated (and sprayed) landscape, not unlike the US,
and I could not see how people could produce certified organic honey in
France, though there were selling it under that label.

We took the Romanian beekeepers to the big organic food fair in Nuremberg
each winter (Biofach) and they had no trouble selling their honey.  I stay
in touch with the manager of one of the big 'Apicolas' (associations) in
Romania and they are still going to Biofach but he tells me the fair is not
as big or dynamic as it used to be.

Bill Lord
beekeeping consulting for development.com
Louisburg, NC

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