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  • From: "sals3" <sals3 AT cox.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] CNG and Apiaries (was: clarification of useof"organic")
  • Date: Sun, 11 Sep 2011 09:39:11 -0700

that's interesting. I use honey for wounds and eat it all the time. it cost a lot but I been buying Manuka honey have you heard of that kind of honey from New Zealand you think for someone like me using it on cuts and open wounds and also eating it even use in eyes.

thanks you
you seem to be well informed .
----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Stewart" <rstewart AT zoomtown.com>
To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2011 9:29 AM
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] CNG and Apiaries (was: clarification of useof"organic")


Overseas. Take that however you will. Considering the amount of transshipped Chinese honey out there I would hold anything that you do not purchase form a local beekeeper as suspect anyways.

I have often times complained via email and phone about USDA Organic labels on "rainforest honey" as there is no USDA Organic Honey production in the US. The response from shippers and the feds is that it was Certified outside the US prior to shipping and that that company doing the 3rd party certification has been approved by the feds.

This was the email sent to me my a rep of Meijer's:

"Thank you for writing to us with your inquiry. You are correct that presently there is not a specific standard that has been created for apiculture (bee-keeping) however, under the current rules governing the National Organic Program and the USDA Organic certification, honey bees are considered livestock. Because of this designation, they have to follow the same rules as producers of organic milk, eggs or meat. What this means basically is that the bees cannot forage on non-Organic lands. It is because of this requirement that Organic honey can only be produced in certain parts of the world.

If the National Organic Program were to create a specific standard for apiculture, it might incorporate different standards unique to apiculture that could actually impose fewer restrictions upon the organic honey industry. As it stands right now, the Organic standard has a very high bar set for honey production considering that beekeepers cannot contain their 'livestock' like cow farmers can and as a result must only produce honey in geographical areas that do not expose the plants upon which bees forage to any pesticides, fertilizers or other chemicals.

As our organic honey does meet these higher standards by the NOP, it passes the USDA Organic certification and therefore can have the USDA organic seal on its packaging. I hope this helps to answer your inquiry. As a representative of Meijer, I would like to thank you for shopping for more at Meijer as we continue to strive towards higher standards at lower prices for our customers."

In a subsequent email they claimed that in Canada there are huge regions of honey production that is organic...the same regions that also tends to be heavily planted in GMO Rape (Canola) or have such a short season that you would not be able to sustainable supply a major national chain with honey. Canada also imports A LOT of Chinese Honey.

Organic Honey regardless of how its labeled is BS. Bees, no matter how we claim to domesticate them are wild insects that do what they want to do and we cannot control. They WILL feed on GM or artificial products and not choose the native natural one over the less healthy one as we see in both feeding in commercial operations (feeding HFCS) and in the New York Urban bees that were hauling in artificial cherry sauce. Its not the end of the world, its just a fact that we need to understand and admit. Bees will collect GMO soybean blossom in droves before they go to ironweed or thistle. Its simply the way it is.

Right now there is a HUGE backlash against pollen and honey that contain trace amounts of GMO crop pollen. Europe is cutting down shipments from South America who has a massive GMO food and energy base. The court case was just completed and filed and it looks like Europe is either A) not going to be able to receive as much honey as they want or B) they are going to be getting a whole lot of "Vietnamese" honey. It'll be interesting to see how that plays out.

Its getting almost as bad as bundled carbon credits over there (Europe).

Richard Stewart
Carriage House Farm
North Bend, Ohio

An Ohio Century Farm Est. 1855

(513) 967-1106
http://www.carriagehousefarmllc.com
rstewart AT zoomtown.com

On Sep 11, 2011, at 12:05 PM, sals3 wrote:

I see organic honey in Vons and a lot of stores. they have a USDA seal on them and the words organic honey.. so what's up with that.????
----- Original Message -----
From: Richard Stewart
To: Market Farming
Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2011 8:11 AM
Subject: [Market-farming] CNG and Apiaries (was: clarification of use of"organic")

As a treatment free urban and rural beekeeper I have always found it amusing there is an Apiary listing and that so long as there is ZERO conventional agriculture within 3 miles of you and you meet the requirements you can label your honey as CNG. While the normal range of bee foraging is 2.5 miles it is well studied that bees forage up to 12 miles, especially in times of stress, like drought.

Sure, there may be many apiaries that are up in the mountains or like Dee Lusby's so remote in the desert that they have nothing BUT wild forage, but those are far and few between, relative to the number of beekeepers out there. Even then, considering the amount of spraying that national, state, local parks, railroads, and departments of transportation do I find it highly unlikely that even some of these remote apiaries are likely to be foraging on prefect untainted forage.

Keep in mind that the CNG folks have been claiming this as a legit alternative to organic when there are NO organic standards for beekeeping in the US. CNG beekeeping or honey to me is bordering on a lie.

I DO like CNG for produce and fruit operation certification, I just see it at as a VERY poor choice for any type of labeling when it comes to beekeeping. I've been considering going CNG for our food production the past two years but I simply have not found that anything that certifies me X, Y, Z actually increases my sales. Like any business owner I balance cost with return and if certification does not earn me more sales to both cover the cost certification, paperwork, AND time, then there is little need to certify.

Cheers!

Richard Stewart
Carriage House Farm
North Bend, Ohio

An Ohio Century Farm Est. 1855

(513) 967-1106
http://www.carriagehousefarmllc.com
rstewart AT zoomtown.com

On Sep 10, 2011, at 1:28 PM, Mike Brabo wrote:

Over 800 farms and apiaries now certified here in the U.S.
Regards,



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