Changes to manuka standards.

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3,580
6,708
Hawkes Bay
Experience
Commercial
I have just sent my suggested changes to MPI at manuka.honey@mpi.govt.nz
You have until the 16th of this month to make submissions and I urge all people who have been affected by these new standards to do so.
I got the distinct impression they were only looking for submissions from the bigger players but we are all beekeepers and smaller beekeepers can be affected just as much as the large ones. I find the current standards are not fit for purpose. I had one a lot of honey this year graded as non-manuka when it clearly was at least one third manuka and should have been graded manuka multi floral. If I added enough clover to this honey it would magically become manuka multi floral.
A standard that encourages the adulteration of manuka honey (sorry non-manuka honey) in order to comply with its inadequacies surely has to be wanting.
Have your say, let them know just how much you have been hurt by their less than adequate science. Let them know that their decisions have a real effect on the real world.
 

yesbut

Staff member
11,941
7,044
Nelson
Experience
Hobbyist
I haven't taken any detailed notice of the definition, but it is always easy to criticise. Maybe the boffins were between a rock and a hard place trying to come up with a formula that did the job, ie cut out foreign leptospermum, cut out adulteration, yet still allow NZ lepto. What's the betting that as soon as it is changed because of complaints that a door to bad stuff happening is re-opened ?
Disclaimer: This is an idle thought offered by a non-industry participant.
 


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