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Honey Production and Sale

A primary goal for many beekeepers is to raise healthy, productive hives that can yield a surplus of honey for personal consumption or sale.  Revenue from the sale of honey to the general public can help offset upfront and ongoing beekeeping costs.

Before marketing and selling your honey, it is important for you to understand food safety and labeling regulations imposed by the federal government and New York State.  You should also review best practices for honey production so you will have the best quality product available for your customers.

The resources listed below are intended to help beekeepers comply with regulations and adopt best practices used by professionals.  They are not comprehensive -- additional important topics, such as product and liability insurance coverage, depend on specific situations and should be handled by each beekeeper individually.


From Honeycomb to Consumer: Marketing Local Honey in New York State

The following Cornell publication is a useful guide for small-scale honey producers.  It presents details to consider when making packaging, labeling, and marketing decisions in order to improve honey sales and comply with New York State laws and regulations pertaining to honey.

New York Standards


Food Safety Best Management Practices for Producing Honey in New York State

Maintaining a high quality product from hive to jar is a priority that requires beekeepers to maintain strict standards of food safety.  Emma Mullen Walters from Cornell University outlines best management practices that will ensure a pure and valuable product for sale to consumers.

Best Practices


Sticking to the Standards: Federal Honey Labeling Requirements

Before you start selling your honey, you need to ensure that it complies with federal, state, and local regulations.  If you sell honey in states other than your own, you will need to adhere to federal and state-specific labeling standards.

Federal Standards


New York State Grown and Certified

The New York State Grown and Certified program makes it easy for consumers to identify local, safely handled, and environmentally responsible agricultural products.  This voluntary program is a cooperative effort among producers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, restaurants, and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets to meet consumer demand for high-quality food and agricultural products.  Upon acceptance to the program, participants will be able to display a high-impact label that will stand out, telling the consumer their food handling practices meet high standards and products are produced in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Interested beekeepers must complete the following application, obtain a passing score on a food safety practices test, register their hives with New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, and commit to a biennial inspection by apiary inspectors.

Get Certified