# Costco Local honey, really?



## allniter (Aug 22, 2011)

yes same here ----FORT WAYNE IN.


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## Michael Pawelek (Jun 4, 2012)

My local county bee club has had numerous large volume Beeks come and talk about the need for legislation and laws concerning honey sales. There is no national legal definition of "local honey" and also no laws concerning what percentage of honey has to be in a container to label it as "honey". Apparently honey from China can contain as much as 50% corn syrup as a filler and they still label it as "pure honey". Have you ever wondered why the large stores like Costco can sell honey so cheap? Corn syrup is cheaper than honey and the average consumer cannot tell the difference.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

The company that bottles it has chosen the name Local! Therefore it is local honey. Just like Quality Honey products. My honey says Pure honey. But it is not as it may have some pollen in it! It is all in the interpretation. Many people do not read the label.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

Michael Pawelek said:


> and also no laws concerning what percentage of honey has to be in a container to label it as "honey". Apparently honey from China can contain as much as 50% corn syrup as a filler and they still label it as "pure honey". Have you ever wondered why the large stores like Costco can sell honey so cheap? Corn syrup is cheaper than honey and the average consumer cannot tell the difference.


Wrong, Wrong, Wrong! BY law to be labeled Honey it must contain Honey, all Honey and nothing but Honey. If there is corn syrup or other fillers added it must be labeled Imitation Honey, or artificial Honey. The contents must state in order of volume all ingredients. And that IS the law.


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

....but if you run it through a bee first (feeders on with supers on), things are less clear.


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

deknow said:


> ....but if you run it through a bee first (feeders on with supers on), things are less clear.


Is that to say that sugar and corn syrup cannot be laboratory detected in the 'honey' after the bees process it?


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## Cabin (Nov 30, 2014)

EastSideBuzz said:


> I was in Costco the other day in Western Washington and there was honey labeled as local Honey. I looked at it and said no way. This was in a store in Western WA and this honey was bottled in Colorado. Why would any local beekeeper ship his honey from WA to Colorado to bottle it.
> 
> The idea of local honey is within a pollen air blowing of you to get the local pollen properties. Other side of the mountains 6 hours away is not local in my book as well as 3 states away. I am a huge fan of Costco but, I think they are lying to their customers to say that the honey is local.
> 
> Anyone else seen this?



Produced in the USA vs China!? 'Local' to a big box store is different than 'local' to us. 

Can a person who ships their bees all around the country label their honey as local???


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## tpope (Mar 1, 2015)

Our local produce growers do not allow one to keep their bees outside of the accepted area.


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

I'm pretty sure it is local to some location. just not necessarily that store. or that state, I wouldn't make any bets on local to a given country. Or it's a yeah it's local, it's right here in front of ya aint it?


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## Michael Pawelek (Jun 4, 2012)

Tenbears said:


> Wrong, Wrong, Wrong! BY law to be labeled Honey it must contain Honey, all Honey and nothing but Honey. If there is corn syrup or other fillers added it must be labeled Imitation Honey, or artificial Honey. The contents must state in order of volume all ingredients. And that IS the law.


Give me the name of the exact federal law and its number so I can look it up and read it.
PS- 98% of the cargo ship containers entering the U.S. Are never checked for actual contents. After being re-bottled into retail containers who tests and verifies?
Have you personally inspected and had tested honey imported from China? Oh, I get it the FDA is checking it out and testing all honey sources for content so if the label says 100% it must be so. Where can I buy labels that say "artificial honey" or "Imitation honey"? LOL!


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## Groundhwg (Jan 28, 2016)

Tenbears said:


> Wrong, Wrong, Wrong! BY law to be labeled Honey it must contain Honey, all Honey and nothing but Honey. If there is corn syrup or other fillers added it must be labeled Imitation Honey, or artificial Honey. The contents must state in order of volume all ingredients. And that IS the law.


Not quite correct. It depends on how much you sell....Products sold by companies qualifying for small business exemptions are one exception to this requirement. Small business exemptions are available for products sold in small volume (fewer than 100,000 units per year) by small companies (fewer than 100 employees). You may claim exemption by product.


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## RBRamsey (Mar 1, 2015)

Here is a question and answer from FDA on labeling honey.

http://www.fda.gov/food/guidanceregulation/guidancedocumentsregulatoryinformation/labelingnutrition/ucm389501.htm

<quote>Misbranding

Under section 403(i) of the FD&C Act, a food is misbranded unless its label bears (1) the common or usual name of the food, and (2) the common or usual name of each ingredient, if the food is fabricated from two or more ingredients. The common or usual name for an ingredient is the name established by common usage or by regulation (21 CFR 102.5(d)). The common or usual name must accurately describe the basic nature of the food or its characterizing properties or ingredients, and may not be “confusingly similar to the name of any other food that is not reasonably encompassed within the same name” (21 CFR 102.5(a)). Moreover, under 21 CFR 101.4(a)(1), ingredients in a food must be listed on its label by common or usual name in descending order of predominance by weight. Furthermore, under section 403(a)(1) of the FD&C Act, a food is misbranded if its labeling is false or misleading in any particular.

Adulteration

Under sections 402(b)(1) through 402(b)(4) of the FD&C Act, a food is adulterated if a valuable constituent has been omitted in whole or in part from a food, or if any substance has been substituted wholly or in part, or if damage or inferiority has been concealed in any manner, or if a substance has been added to a food so as to increase its bulk or weight, reduce its quality or strength, or make it appear to be better or of greater value than it is. Furthermore, section 402(a)(2)(C) of the FD&C Act provides that a food is adulterated if it bears or contains a food additive that is unsafe within the meaning of section 409 of the FD&C Act or a new animal drug that is unsafe within the meaning of section 512 of the FD&C Act. To further provide guidance to industry on the proper labeling of honey and honey products in accordance with our laws and regulations, we have developed the following questions and answers.
</quote>


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Groundhwg said:


> Not quite correct. It depends on how much you sell....Products sold by companies qualifying for small business exemptions are one exception to this requirement. Small business exemptions are available for products sold in small volume (fewer than 100,000 units per year) by small companies (fewer than 100 employees). You may claim exemption by product.


So if you are a large company there is at least some verification. If you are a small company there is no verification. Of course it goes without saying that when you are "small" you are, of course, honest. BTW as a member of True Source Honey I had an independent agent come to my honey house to inspect my facilities and also required that I take her to several bee yards to prove that I am a legitimate producer.


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## Groundhwg (Jan 28, 2016)

Yes, Jim, if you are small enough you do not HAVE to have information on your labels or any verification. You can choose to do so, as you are, being a member of the TSH but for others it is not required.


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## Michael Pawelek (Jun 4, 2012)

Groundhwg said:


> Not quite correct. It depends on how much you sell....Products sold by companies qualifying for small business exemptions are one exception to this requirement. Small business exemptions are available for products sold in small volume (fewer than 100,000 units per year) by small companies (fewer than 100 employees). You may claim exemption by product.


When it comes to "units" per year I wonder what is the definition of a unit? A pint, a quart, a 55 gallon barrel, a 50 foot semi truck, a 850 foot ocean liner?
Also, a devious company could divide into any number of subsidiaries with under 100 employees to cheat on the rules.


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## AHudd (Mar 5, 2015)

Groundhwg said:


> Yes, Jim, if you are small enough you do not HAVE to have information on your labels or any verification. You can choose to do so, as you are, being a member of the TSH but for others it is not required.


You don't have to have a label, but if you sell honey, it had better be honey. This exemption does not relieve you of the privilege of being honest.

Alex


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

Groundhwg said:


> Not quite correct. It depends on how much you sell....Products sold by companies qualifying for small business exemptions are one exception to this requirement. Small business exemptions are available for products sold in small volume (fewer than 100,000 units per year) by small companies (fewer than 100 employees). You may claim exemption by product.



Would you provide a reference for this please.


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## GSkip (Dec 28, 2014)

I was in my local Walmart here in north Florida checking their honey. One bottle said "Pure Florida Honey" it was bottled i think in Ohio!! Figure that one?


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## Michael Pawelek (Jun 4, 2012)

Maybe there is a town in Florida named Ohio!


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

Michael Pawelek said:


> Maybe there is a town in Florida named Ohio!


Or maybe a street named Ohio.


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## Hogback Honey (Oct 29, 2013)

I've only seen honey in Costco from other countries, not even U.S.A. honey. I tell everyone not to buy it.


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

Talked with the Rep at Costco today and he said it is WA honey. He said they work with their vendors to make sure it is all on the up and up. I explained what local really means to the customers and they should change the labeling to Local Washington and not just local. People think that they are buying local honey and instead they are buying a lie. He was confrontational at first but, seemed to mellow as we talked and maybe just maybe he understood I want whats best for his customers.

_We work with local Washington beekeepers to provide you with the best 100% pure raw and unfiltered honey. Local Washington honey is a blend of beautiful flower types and Nectars commonly found in Washington._

Not sure if that means it is all Washington or nectar commonly found. It is definitely not Western Washington since we don't have clover fields over here.


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## Groundhwg (Jan 28, 2016)

Michael Pawelek said:


> When it comes to "units" per year I wonder what is the definition of a unit? A pint, a quart, a 55 gallon barrel, a 50 foot semi truck, a 850 foot ocean liner?
> Also, a devious company could divide into any number of subsidiaries with under 100 employees to cheat on the rules.


Sure if someone wants to be dishonest or cheat they will likely find a way to do so.


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## Groundhwg (Jan 28, 2016)

clyderoad said:


> Would you provide a reference for this please.


 Sure be glad to. Below is the website for the information you requested. If you go to the first/top one the others and more can be found in the sub-box on the left side of the page:

http://www.honey.com/honey-industry/honey-testing-and-regulations/honey-labeling/

http://www.honey.com/honey-industry...ns/honey-labeling/nutritional-facts-labeling/

http://www.honey.com/honey-industry...abeling/other-labeling-terms-and-suggestions/


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## Lutuvakula (Nov 6, 2021)

This might help


https://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/201904/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1476949&app=false#articleId1476949


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## BeeeeHello (5 mo ago)

I just got notice that some of the product may not be local:


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## ifixoldhouses (Feb 27, 2019)

That local is a myth, there's .001 % pollen in a jar of honey, and unless your allergic to blackberries and such it will do you no good, the pollen that bugs you is wind blown pollen that bees have nothing to do with.


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## Gino45 (Apr 6, 2012)

Costco in Hawaii does sell locally produced honey; however, it is from the largest producer(s) in the state. One has to get approval by some private organization, which comes with annual inspections and at a significant cost.
Costco also sells some imported wild flower honey. If I remember correctly, it is from Argentina and sells for a far lower price than the local stuff. Surprising to me is that many people are now willing to pay more for the local product. In that regard, times have changed.
Costco also sells local avocados, when they are available in quantity. The same inspection and certification is required for that also. They also sell imported avos; however, they aren't cheap.
There is a lot of discussion here (facebook) about how many vendors at the many local farmers' markets buy their goods at Costco and turn around and sell as local. Think mangos. I'm certain that this is at least partially true, in spite of it coming from facebook. Local farmers can't compete pricewise. And now you also know what I think about opinions expressed on facebook.


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## JustBees (Sep 7, 2021)

This is nothing but MARKETING

I must see 100 instances of this every day before bees enter into the picture.

We are assaulted from every angle with this crap many times a minute.

I AM SICK OF THE LIES!

You should be too.


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## RNSwans (Jul 3, 2021)

Costco in South Carolina labels it southeast blend, or something like that?


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## rdimanin (Jan 17, 2020)

The USA is one of the only counties in the world that doesn't have a legal definition of "honey". The EU has a strict definition of honey but we don't. Very sad.


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