Honey Integrity Act

Summary

Creates a federal definition and enforcement program for honey: it directs FDA to adopt a federal standard of identity for honey within one year, to set up a Honey Integrity Program requiring specified forensic and chemical testing, reporting, and certification by commercial honey packers, and to produce a report to Congress on past enforcement actions within two years. The bill gives FDA authority to require testing, collect results and alerts, investigate and destroy adulterated honey, coordinate with other agencies for lab and enforcement support, and assess fees to cover program costs subject to appropriations.

• Requires FDA to adopt a federal standard of identity for honey within one year using USP specifications.
• Creates a Honey Integrity Program to detect economically motivated adulteration and improve honey supply-chain integrity.
• Qualifying commercial honey packers must perform advanced forensic and analytical testing and certify compliance starting 180 days after enactment.
• Packers must report test results to FDA, report EMA findings to FDA and law enforcement within 24 hours, and refuse adulterated lots.
• FDA must investigate EMA alerts, confirm adulteration with federal lab testing, arrange destruction of adulterated honey, and share data with enforcement partners.
• FDA must submit a report to Congress within two years summarizing enforcement actions for adulteration and misbranding of honey.
• Interagency coordination is required; CBP and USDA must provide lab and other resources if FDA lacks them.
• Program funding may come from fees assessed on qualifying packers and from appropriations authorized to cover those fees.