Honey Integrity Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 2162
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-03-14: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-03-26T08:06:36Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Honey Integrity Act aims to safeguard the quality and authenticity of honey sold in the United States by establishing clear standards, mandatory testing protocols, and enforcement measures to prevent adulteration—particularly economically motivated adulteration, where cheaper substances are added or valuable components are removed to boost profits.
Key Provisions
- Standard of Identity for Honey (Section 2): Within one year of enactment, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (through the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA) must create a federal definition for what qualifies as "honey," based on established United States Pharmacopeia guidelines under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). This ensures honey meets specific purity and composition criteria.
- Report on Enforcement Actions (Section 3): Within two years of enactment, the FDA must submit a report to Congress detailing actions taken under the FD&C Act against adulterated (impure or unsafe) or misbranded (falsely labeled) honey.
- Honey Integrity Program (Section 4):
- Program Establishment: The FDA must create and oversee the Honey Integrity Program to detect economically motivated adulteration in honey entering interstate commerce (trade across state lines).
- Mandatory Testing for Packers: Starting 180 days after enactment, "qualifying commercial honey packers" (those required to pay fees to the National Honey Board under a 1996 agricultural promotion law, excluding small or exempt operations) must:
- Test honey intended for U.S. markets using advanced scientific methods, such as DNA testing (nuclear and mitochondrial), nuclear magnetic resonance (a scanning technique for chemical analysis), high-resolution mass spectrometry (for identifying substances), and other forensic tools in a combined protocol.
- Ensure tests cover a sufficient sample volume, following law enforcement guidelines developed by the FDA in consultation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other agencies.
- Certify compliance to the FDA, stating no involvement in adulterated honey, and report test results as specified.
- Packer Reporting Obligations: Packers must report all test results to the FDA. If adulteration is detected, they must notify the FDA and relevant law enforcement within 24 hours and refuse to accept the honey.
- FDA Response to Adulteration: Upon alerts of adulteration, the FDA must investigate, confirm via federal labs, and destroy confirmed adulterated honey. It must also share data with federal, state, and local enforcement agencies (including CBP and the Department of Agriculture, or USDA), as well as stakeholders like domestic honey producer groups.
- Public List of Packers: The FDA must publish and update a list of qualifying packers (including any exclusions) and distribute it to relevant parties.
- Interagency Cooperation: The FDA must consult with CBP, USDA, and other agencies on testing protocols. If the FDA lacks resources, CBP and USDA must provide labs and support.
- Funding via Fees: Qualifying packers pay fees set by the FDA to fund the program. Fees are collected only as authorized by Congress and remain available until spent. Additional appropriations are authorized as needed.
- Definitions:
- Economically motivated adulteration: Intentional alterations to honey (e.g., adding cheap fillers or removing key ingredients) to increase its apparent value, making it adulterated under the FD&C Act.
- Qualifying commercial honey packer: Packers funding the National Honey Board, with possible exemptions for small-scale operations.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Builds on the FD&C Act (1938), which already prohibits adulterated or misbranded food, by adding honey-specific requirements: a new standard of identity, mandatory industry testing, rapid reporting, and a dedicated integrity program.
- Introduces fees on packers to self-fund enforcement, shifting some costs from general taxpayer funds to the industry.
- Enhances border and interstate oversight through required interagency resource-sharing, going beyond current voluntary or general food safety measures.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The FDA gains new regulatory duties, including program administration, testing oversight, and reporting, potentially straining resources unless supported by CBP and USDA labs. CBP and USDA face increased collaboration on imports and data sharing, improving coordinated food safety enforcement.
- Citizens (Consumers): Provides greater confidence in honey purity, reducing risks from adulterated products (e.g., added sugars or contaminants). However, testing and fees may raise honey prices slightly.
- International Relations: Strengthens U.S. border controls on imported honey (a major source of adulteration), aligning testing with global best practices. This could pressure exporting countries to improve standards but may complicate trade if not harmonized.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Honey Industry: Qualifying commercial packers bear testing, certification, reporting, and fee burdens; domestic producers benefit from protected market integrity against cheap imports.
- Government Entities: FDA (lead regulator), CBP (import enforcement), USDA (agricultural support), and Congress (receives reports and authorizes funding).
- Consumers and Associations: U.S. buyers gain safer products; groups like the National Honey Board and producer associations receive data and program updates.
- Importers/Exporters: Foreign honey suppliers face stricter U.S. scrutiny, potentially affecting global supply chains.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces FD&C Act authority without overriding it, emphasizing science-based enforcement. Defines "economically motivated adulteration" to target intentional fraud, aiding prosecutions under existing food safety laws.
- Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; the bill exercises Congress's commerce clause powers to regulate interstate food trade and protect public health, with procedural safeguards like agency consultations.
- Political: Promotes domestic agriculture by combating import-driven adulteration (honey imports often undercut U.S. producers). Bipartisan sponsorship (Republicans and Democrats) suggests broad support, but implementation costs and industry fees could spark debates on regulatory burdens versus consumer protection.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]
Cosponsors (10)
Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19], Rep. Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4], Rep. Huizenga, Bill [R-MI-4], Rep. Comer, James [R-KY-1], Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1], Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7], Rep. Johnson, Dusty [R-SD-At Large], Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
Recent Actions
- 2025-03-14: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2025-03-14: Introduced in House
- 2025-03-14: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Honey Integrity Act — issued 2025-03-14 — PDF (8 pages)