SB 2007 — Honey; revise definition of for purposes of labeling requirements enforced by the Mississippi Department of Agriculture.

2007 (As Sent to Governor) AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 75-29-601 AND 75-29-603, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE DEFINITION OF COMMERCIAL HONEY FOR PURPOSES OF LABELING REQUIREMENTS ENFORCED BY THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TO PROVIDE THAT THE LABEL OF ANY PRODUCT CONSISTING OF HONEY AND SWEETENER SHALL INCLUDE ALL INGREDIENTS BY WEIGHT, TO PROVIDE THAT ALL SUBSTANCES ADDED TO HONEY TO ALTER THE FLAVOR SHALL BE INCLUDED ON THE LABEL AND TO PROVIDE THAT ANY LAB-GROWN HONEY SHALL NOT BE LABELED AS HONEY;

Pure"Honey" honey may not contain any additional food ingredients, including food additives.

ThisEvery container of honey or honey products sold, offered or exposed for S.

2007 *SS26/R507**SS08/R507SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2 22/SS26/R50722/SS08/R507SG PAGE 1 (rdd\tb)sale, definitionby an individual, firm, organization or corporation in the State of Mississippi shall includehave on the Commercialoutside Itemof Descriptioneach (CID)container authorizeda bypaper label, permanent type stamped imprint or embossed material on the U.S.container itself, plainly printed in the English language truly certifying the net contents of the container, the name, brand, name and address of the person or processor offering such honey or honey products for sale, and a true statement of the contents contained therein.

Department(2) ofAdulterated Agricultureor (USDA).artificial honey.

(Any *product *consisting *2) (a) Every container of honey orand honeya productssweetener sold,cannot offeredbe orlabeled exposedas for"honey." sale,If byany answeetener individual,has firm,been organizationadded orto corporationhoney, init the State of Mississippi shall havebe ondeemed theadulterated outside of each container a paper label, permanent type stamped imprint or embossedartificial. material on the container itself, plainly printed in the English language truly certifying the net contents of the container, the name, brand, name and address of the person or processor offering such honey or honey products for sale, and a true statement of the contents contained therein.

(b)For Adulterateda orhoney artificialproduct honey.consisting of honey and a sweetener, the label shall, among other information, include the following:

Any product consisting of honey and a sweetener cannot be labeled as "honey." If any sweetener has been added to pure honey 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, it shall be deemed adulterated or artificial.

(c) For a food consisting of honey and a sweetener, the label shall, among other information, include the following:

for example, "blend of honey and corn syrup," if the foodhoney product has more honey than corn syrup.

(Conversely, "blend of corn syrup and honey," if the foodhoney product has more corn syrup than honey).

(d)(3) Value added honey products (flavored or infused honey).

All substances added to honey or honey products which S.enhance or alter the flavor shall be included on the label in the same size font as the word "honey." The label shall include the common or usual name of each ingredient in the ingredient statement in descending order of predominance by weight.

S.

2007 *SS26/R507**SS08/R507SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 22/SS26/R50722/SS08/R507SG PAGE 2(rdd\tb)2 enhance(4) orLab-grown alterhoney. the flavor shall be included on the label in the same size font as the word "honey." The label shall include the common or usual name of each ingredient in the ingredient statement in descending order of predominance by weight.

(e) Lab-grown honey.

( * * *3)*5) It shall be unlawful for any individual, firm, organization or corporation to label and/or sell, offer for sale or expose for sale at the retail level of trade any product as " * * * honey" that does not meet the minimum requirements established by subsection (1) of this section and by the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce.

* * * ( * * *4)*6) It shall be unlawful for any manufacturer or distributor of honey or honey products to use a fictitious name or address on the container label required herein.

(1) The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce is hereby charged with the responsibility of enforcing this article, including the provisions of Section 75-29-601, Mississippi Code of 1972, and the Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce or his representative shall be furnished samples of honey or honey products from the individual, firm, S.organization or corporation, upon request, and shall have such products analyzed by the State Chemist.

(2) The Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce is authorized, in his discretion, to issue an order to stop the sale or distribution of any honey or honey products found to be in S.

2007 *SS26/R507**SS08/R507SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 22/SS26/R50722/SS08/R507SG PAGE 3(rdd\tb)3 organizationviolation orof corporation,this uponarticle, request,including andthe shallprovisions haveof suchSection products75-29-601, analyzedMississippi byCode theof State1972. Chemist.

(2) The Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce is authorized, in his discretion, to issue an order to stop the sale or distribution of any honey or honey products found to be in violation of this article, including the provisions of Section 75-29-601, Mississippi Code of 1972.

2007 *SS26/R507**SS08/R507SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 22/SS26/R50722/SS08/R507SG ST:

revise definition of for purposes of PAGE 4(rdd\tb)4 labeling requirements enforced by the Mississippi Department of Agriculture.