Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2162) to provide for the protection of the integrity of honey marketed in the United States, and for other purposes.
This legislation aims to protect the integrity of honey marketed in the United States by addressing economically motivated adulteration and enhancing consumer transparency. It mandates the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a comprehensive Federal Standard of Identity for honey within 180 days, incorporating specific physicochemical parameters to detect adulteration and ensure purity. The bill establishes a robust Honey Integrity Program , which includes an interagency agreement between HHS and USDA for domestic verification and the creation of a National Honey Center of Excellence to develop and validate advanced testing methodologies. This program implements dual compliance tracks: certified domestic honey receives reduced testing, while imported and non-certified honey faces strict, risk-based mandatory testing by approved U.S. laboratories, explicitly rejecting foreign certificates of analysis. To improve enforcement, the Act requires the integration of AI/machine learning predictive modeling for targeting high-risk import shipments and the creation of a public Honey Fraud Registry to identify violators. Non-compliant imported honey will face mandatory refusal of admission and destruction if not re-exported, while domestic non-compliant honey may be re-labeled for animal feed or baking if it's pure bee product. Furthermore, the legislation mandates Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for honey , requiring explicit listing of all countries in blends by descending order of predominance, with a 5% disclosure floor. It also specifies rules for using "USA" on labels and requires prominent display of origin information, while providing a safe harbor exemption for small domestic producers.
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Timeline
Submitted in House
Referred to the House Committee on Rules.
Submitted in House
Referred to the House Committee on Rules.
Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2162) to provide for the protection of the integrity of honey marketed in the United States, and for other purposes.
USA119th CongressHRES-1411| House
| Updated: 6/30/2026
This legislation aims to protect the integrity of honey marketed in the United States by addressing economically motivated adulteration and enhancing consumer transparency. It mandates the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a comprehensive Federal Standard of Identity for honey within 180 days, incorporating specific physicochemical parameters to detect adulteration and ensure purity. The bill establishes a robust Honey Integrity Program , which includes an interagency agreement between HHS and USDA for domestic verification and the creation of a National Honey Center of Excellence to develop and validate advanced testing methodologies. This program implements dual compliance tracks: certified domestic honey receives reduced testing, while imported and non-certified honey faces strict, risk-based mandatory testing by approved U.S. laboratories, explicitly rejecting foreign certificates of analysis. To improve enforcement, the Act requires the integration of AI/machine learning predictive modeling for targeting high-risk import shipments and the creation of a public Honey Fraud Registry to identify violators. Non-compliant imported honey will face mandatory refusal of admission and destruction if not re-exported, while domestic non-compliant honey may be re-labeled for animal feed or baking if it's pure bee product. Furthermore, the legislation mandates Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for honey , requiring explicit listing of all countries in blends by descending order of predominance, with a 5% disclosure floor. It also specifies rules for using "USA" on labels and requires prominent display of origin information, while providing a safe harbor exemption for small domestic producers.