Proposed Increase to Honey Assessment Rate

You might care about this because the government wants to increase a fee on honey. This proposed rule would raise the assessment rate that honey businesses pay. The fee helps fund the National Honey Board. This Board promotes honey and conducts research for the honey industry. The current fee is 1.5 cents per pound. The proposal is to increase it to 2 cents per pound. This increase would happen in two steps. First, the rate would go to 1.75 cents per pound on June 1, 2026. Then, it would reach 2 cents per pound on January 1, 2027. This fee applies to honey packers and importers who handle more than 250,000 pounds of honey or honey products each year. The National Honey Board recommended this change. They say it is necessary because inflation has raised their operating costs. Also, they spend a lot of money processing reimbursement requests for organic honey. The Board believes this increase will allow them to continue their important promotion and research work. This proposed rule is interesting because it shows how economic factors like inflation affect industry programs. The document explains that the National Honey Board's purchasing power has decreased. This makes it harder for them to do their job. Even a small increase in an assessment can be important for an organization's budget. The rule also highlights a specific challenge with organic honey. The current system collects fees on all imported honey. Then, businesses must ask the Board for a refund for certified organic honey. This process creates extra administrative work and forces the Board to set aside money for reimbursements. This limits the funds available for direct promotion and research. This situation demonstrates how current regulations can create operational difficulties for industry groups. It also shows how a change in fees can help an organization overcome these challenges to better serve its industry. Several groups would be especially interested in this document. Honey packers and importers are directly affected, as they pay these assessments. Businesses that handle or import more than 250,000 pounds of honey annually will need to understand this new fee structure. This includes both domestic first handlers of honey and honey importers. Small businesses in the honey sector may also be interested in how these industry-wide changes could impact their market. Consumers of honey might find it relevant to understand how honey promotion and research are funded. People involved in agricultural policy, commodity boards, or food industry regulations will also find this information useful. Anyone monitoring the impact of inflation on industry programs and how government agencies respond to these economic pressures would also follow this development.