I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4764 
To establish a standard of identity for honey, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 20, 2023 
Mr. ARMSTRONG (for himself and Mr. LAWLER) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in 
addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a standard of identity for honey, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Honey Identification 
Verification and Enforcement Act’’ or the ‘‘HIVE Act’’. 
SEC. 2. STANDARD OF IDENTITY FOR HONEY. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, 
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shall establish a standard of identity for honey in accord-
ance with applicable United States Pharmacopeia stand-
ards under section 401 of the Federal Food, Drug, and 
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 341). 
SEC. 3. REPORT TO CONGRESS ON ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS 
WITH RESPECT TO MISBRANDED HONEY. 
Not later than 2 years after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and 
Drugs, shall submit a report to the Congress on enforce-
ment actions taken under the Federal Food, Drug, and 
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) with respect to 
honey that is adulterated under section 402 of such Act 
(21 U.S.C. 342) and honey that is misbranded under sec-
tion 403 of such Act (21 U.S.C. 343). 
SEC. 4. COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN LISTED IN DESCENDING 
ORDER OF PREDOMINANCE. 
Section 203(h)(6) of the Agricultural Marketing Act 
of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1622(h)(6)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘a com-
parable size,’’ and all that follows through the period 
at the end and inserting the following: ‘‘a com-
parable size— 
‘‘(i) the 1 or more names of the 1 or 
more countries of origin of the lot or con-
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tainer of honey, listed in descending order 
of predominance and preceded by the 
words ‘Product of’ or other words of simi-
lar meaning; 
‘‘(ii) if the country of origin is listed 
as the United States, a statement clari-
fying the de minimis allowance specified in 
subparagraph (C); and 
‘‘(iii) a certificate, mark, or statement 
indicating that the honey meets the stand-
ard of identity established under section 2 
of the HIVE Act.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) DE
MINIMIS
ALLOWANCE.—In the 
case of honey that lists, pursuant to subpara-
graph (A)(ii), the United States as the country 
of origin of such honey, the producer of such 
honey shall not be in violation of the require-
ments of such subparagraph if 95 percent of 
such honey has a United States country of ori-
gin and contains not more than a de minimis 
amount (not to exceed 5 percent) of honey from 
any other country (or countries) of origin.’’. 
Æ 
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