A group of 15 U.S. Senators have signed a letter asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to institute a national standard of identity for honey.

Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Thune (R-SD) spearheaded the Aug. 19 letter to Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, FDA commissioner. They noted, “Many foods have long had a standard of identity, and there is no justification of treating honey differently.”

The Senators also pointed out that similar letters, signed by at least a dozen Senators, were sent to FDA in 2007 and 2009 and that both the House and Senate Agricultural Appropriations Committees have made the recommendation on the reports for FY2010. U.S. honey industry organizations submitted a petition to FDA in 2006 requesting that a standard of identity for honey be developed.

“Having a national standard of identity would enable enforcement officers at the border or within the United States to establish that the honey is what it is represented to be,” the Senators wrote. “Additionally, a standard of identity will protect consumers and aid American buyers and sellers of honey.”

Signing the letter were the following Senators:
Bob Casey (D-PA)
John Thune (R-SD)
Bernard Sanders (I-VT)
Charles Schumer (D-NY)
Max Baucus (D-MT)
Kent Conrad (D-ND)
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Sam Brownback (R-KS)
Michael Johanns (R-NE)
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Byron Dorgan (D-ND)
Tim Johnson (D-SD)
Michael Crapo (R-ID)
Tom Harkin (D-IA)
James Risch (R-ID)

To see the actual letter the Senate sent to the FDA, click HERE!