8feb01...0044h

2001 SESSION

01-0069

08/10

HOUSE BILL 106

COMMITTEE: Commerce

ANALYSIS

This bill amends the requirements regarding labeling of honey products. This bill also adds a definition of honey products.

This bill is a request of the department of agriculture, markets, and food.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

8feb01...0044h

01-0069

08/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand One

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

5:1 Maple and Honey Products; Definitions. Amend RSA 429:13, VI to read as follows:

VI. "Grade" or "grades" means the standards for maple syrup or honey:

(a) Established by the commissioner of agriculture, markets, and food as the official grades for maple syrup or honey produced in the state of New Hampshire as provided in RSA 426:1;

(b) Established by the United States Department of Agriculture; or

(c) Established by the laws of some other state if the maple syrup or honey was produced in whole or in part in such other state.

5:2 Maple and Honey Products; Definitions. Amend RSA 429:13, VII-a to read as follows:

VII-a. "Honey products" means only honey, liquid or extracted honey, strained honey, pure honey, comb honey, chunk honey, cremed honey, or any other product in which the sugar content is entirely derived from pure honey and to which nothing has been added.

VII-b. "Maple packer" means a person who purchases and packs or further processes maple syrup for sale.

5:3 Honey; Labels; Information Required. Amend RSA 429:20, I to read as follows:

I. Every shipment, package or container of honey packed, sold, offered or exposed for sale or distribution by any person shall be plainly marked for packaging and labeling [rules], and shall include:

(a) The name, address and zip code of the packer, distributor, or producer;

(b) The true name of the product;

(c) The grade, or the term " not graded"; and

(d) The volume of the contents at 68 degrees Fahrenheit or 20 degrees Celsius or the net weight of the contents.

5:4 New Paragraph; Honey; Adulteration. Amend RSA 429:21 by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:

III. Honey and honey products which are labeled as being pure honey products and which are produced, packaged, handled, or sold in this state shall not in any way be adulterated by the addition or introduction of any substance that would change the essential characteristics of the honey product or render the honey products unsafe.

5:5 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

(Approved: April 23, 2001)

(Effective Date: June 22, 2001)