Here's some info in reply to Walter's question.
allen
http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/
----- Original Message -----
From: "Barry Birkey" <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.beekeeping
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2001 3:59 PM
Subject: Standards for Organic Honey
Update on Standards for Organic Honey
---------
From: "deelusbybeekeeper" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2001 21:15:30 -0800
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Standards for Organic Honey
Hi to all on Biological Beekeeping
Reference Dec 21, 2000, 1:48 PM Message #36 titled "Standards". The
following parts are now re-referenced:
As much of the upcoming meetings on the subjects covered will pertain
to quality control and honey standards with a federal register still
to be sent out for the beekeeping industry for comments as to
Organic Honey, we will need to keep on top of issues here in the US.
Right now we have a new discussion list up and running and are
setting parameters on what is biological beekeeping. We will probably
have to go further and set parameters as to organic honey and what it
involves also.
I do not believe that beekeepers and associations not actually doing
the work should be setting standards for us now into it to follow
later. We should be the ones doing that.
Will Keep you all posted.
CURRENT UPDATED REPLY:
The National Organic Program on proposed standards for honey is going
forward again. However, there is urgency to this post as a meeting has
been
set for March 6 & 7 -- for when public hearing will be held on the program
during a meeting of the Natioal Organics Standards Board (NOSB).
Any interested party can speak, and some of you may want to, so I figured
I
make this post to let you all know what is happening. The only ketch is on
anything said you need to have 20 copies made in print, to hand out to the
board members present after you are done talking. Buddy Ashurst, president
of the National Honey Packers and Dealers Association, will be
representing
the honey industry there formally.
Now before hand I want you all to know that many beekeepers and honey
packers are saying -- honey cannot be organic! You cannot control where
the
bees fly! Yet a decision on our future as an industry is pending. We
know there exists a small but dedicated segment of U.S. beekeepers (and
elsewhere) either actively certified organic or considering trying to get
there with their beekeeping operations. Many of you are talking here in
this
group for example.
If a decision is made with the NOSB that honey cannot be organic, after
August 2002, no honey can be labeled as such in the U.S., regardless of
source. Consequently, we all need to be aware of what is happening, and I
certainly will try to keep everyone posted. Further I certainly don't want
the standards to be set and decided, by someone else, with no input from
beekeepers participating here.
The meeting will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel, 7762 Beach
Boulevard,
Buena Park, CA, Phone: (714) 739-5600. For reference/agenda: use NOSB
0301.doc
I will try to keep you all posted on what takes place. For those of you
that
might want to attend and talk, special rates are available at the hotel.
Also the following Tentative Agenda is posted for your continued
following:
April 2001 --The Livestock Committee's proposed standards for beekeeping
will be ready for comment (probably public). I will definitely keep you
posted as the Livestock Committee has jurisdiction over us on the NOSB.
June 2001 Livestock proposes this draft to NOSB, who reviews and seeks
recommendation then.
Fall 2001 Livestock Committee proposed final rule for public comment.
Feb 2002 All organic certifying agencies must be certified by the USDA,
whether private or state agencies. Also international agencies must also
be certified. (There is a 3-step process for international agencies).
June 2002 National Organic Program final rules in place unless those
saying it cannot be done win!
August 2002 No food product can be labeled "Organic" in the US without
bearing the official USDA -- NOP seal.
So to end, since the Livestock Committee has jurisdiction over the
beekeeping industry and they are almost finished with their first draft of
the beekeeping standard, which they have now started writing for us, we
need
to participate (which I will be doing in hot correspondence over coming
months besides keeping everyone posted) at these meetings or give input in
lieu thereof. Especially, since so many others, in our own industry, seem
to
think it cannot be done, as honey cannot be organic, because of so many
various treatments for so long.
I and others must keep the door open so others can follow down the path to
clean honey. Our future is not forever treatments, that is why we are on
this list discussing.
Regards to all
Dee A. Lusby
Tucson, Arizona
USA
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