A Producer-Led Path Forward for U.S. Honey
The Challenge: U.S. honey producers face suppressed prices, rising costs, and a marketplace flooded with imported and blended products that undermine consumer confidence in domestic honey.
What is the initiative?
The American Honey Promotion Initiative is a new, producer-led effort to strengthen demand for U.S.-produced honey and create clear marketplace differentiation. It is a structured evaluation process—not a finished program—designed to ask hard questions and determine whether a unified promotion and verification effort can stabilize and grow the domestic honey market.
Who is leading it?
A Steering Committee of representatives from four leading organizations guides the initiative:
- American Honey Producers Association (AHPA)
- American Beekeeping Federation (ABF)
- California State Beekeepers Association (CSBA)
- North Dakota Beekeepers Association (NDBA)
Key focus areas
- 🐝 Promotion & Marketing
Campaigns that differentiate U.S. honey at retail, food service, and consumer levels - ✓ Verification Mark
A voluntary “100% U.S.–Produced Honey” seal with credible audit and chain-of-custody standards - $ Funding & Accountability
Transparent cost-benefit analysis, voluntary assessments, and regular reporting to member organizations
Guiding principles
- Producer-led. Commercial producers have direct representation. Promotion is shaped by those with the most at stake.
- Transparent. The Steering Committee provides regular updates and final written recommendations to all organizational leadership.
- Credible. Any verification mark will be enforceable and meaningful — administered independently if needed to ensure market integrity.
“U.S. honey producers are prepared to invest in themselves—and to lead the conversation about what authentic American honey stands for, from hive to table.”
