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USDA delays release of honey adulteration report
Story Date: 1/18/2018
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Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 1/17/18
Dilution of honey has been an acute problem as far back as the fourth century. Even though some of the biggest food fraud cases that federal prosecutors have successfully litigated relate to honey, the problems persist.
So the National Honey Board, whose members are appointed by the Agriculture secretary, asked an expert to look into the issue: Michael T. Roberts, the executive director of the Resnick Program for Food Law and Policy at UCLA. He has worked with governments on food fraud in the U.S., China and Italy, and had been studying how the honey industry could continue to fight adulteration. A big problem for U.S. suppliers has been how to counter imported honey that has been diluted with corn syrup or other ingredients but passed off as pure.
A report in waiting: Word about the 21-page report, "Recommended Strategies to Address Economic Adulteration in Honey," has been anticipated ever since Roberts spoke about it at a Honey Integrity Task Force meeting in Salt Lake City on May 19. He then submitted the written report on June 30 to the National Honey Board, one of the USDA checkoff programs. But for some reason, it was never published.
Attendees now returning from last week's annual American Honey Producers Conference, which took place in San Diego, also noticed that Roberts did not speak about the report when he delivered his keynote address last Wednesday. According to the flyer promoting the presentation, Roberts was scheduled to talk about "the future testing of honey quality, price, and economically motivated adulteration of honey."
During the question and answer session, Margaret Lombard, chief executive of the National Honey Board, acknowledged that Roberts had authored the report and that it had not yet been released. This week, Roberts told MA that it was his understanding that the report had not been delayed because of a holdup with the National Honey Board. Instead the Agricultural Marketing Service division of USDA has put off its publication.
What the report says: MA, however, obtained a copy of the report. In it, Roberts recommends that the industry embrace Nuclear Magnetic Resonance testing as the best way to detect adulteration. He also encouraged the U.S. to collaborate with China and the European Union on fighting problems. Even though the report is generally quite measured in its criticisms, Roberts said that he was told that the USDA wants to make modifications.
"I'm very comfortable with my report. I was asked to call it like I saw it," said Roberts. "I have not yet seen the modifications and I don't have any sense as to a timeline." He added that he was "told that USDA legal is involved."
Eric Silva, federal policy counsel for the American Honey Producers Association, also confirmed that AMS was reviewing it. "We have not been told whether it will be revised. If revised, we are unclear what that process looks like as well," Silva said.
A USDA spokesperson said in an email that AMS and the National Honey Board were providing "technical corrections" to the draft report. "AMS looks forward to the National Honey Board releasing the final report as soon as the draft review is complete," the spokesperson said. Lombard of the National Honey Board did not return a call and email for comment.
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