The Connecticut Department of Agriculture announces a regulatory update for honey and maple syrup producers in Connecticut. The new regulations, effective February 10, 2023, are a result of Public Act 19-18, which transferred the responsibility to regulate the production and sale of Honey and Maple Syrup from the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture. Section 2 of these regulations contains the provisions for registration and requires a $50.00 annual registration fee for producers of honey and maple syrup with annual gross revenues over $25,000 from the sale of a product or products.
Honey and maple syrup are products covered by the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act as amended by the Food, Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). and the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Risk Based Preventive Controls for Human Food rules. The FDA rules are published as Title 21, Part 117 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
Because honey and maple syrup are considered low risk foods for microbial contamination and other hazards, producers of honey and maple syrup are exempted from certain requirements of Title 21, Part 117 of the Code of Federal Regulations, notably the requirement for a hazard analysis and written food safety plan. Additionally, a vast majority of honey and maple syrup producers in this state either qualify as small businesses with sales of less than 1 million dollars in food or sales of less than $500,000 in food with > 50% of those sales being made to qualified end users, also exempting these producers from the requirement for a hazard analysis and written food safety plan.
Effective February 10, 2023 - NEW Sec. 22-54u-2. Registration for License by Producers, Exempt Producers, Fees.
Who is not required to register?
Each producer that has annual gross revenues of $25,000 or less from the sale of a product or products is exempt from the licensure requirements of this section. Any such exempt producer may submit a declaration to the department through the E-License Portal. Such declaration shall not be binding on the department for any determination of whether such producer is required to be licensed under this section.
Who must register?
Each honey or maple syrup producer that has annual gross revenues of more than $25,000 from the sale of a product or products shall register annually for a license with the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, through the E-License Portal.
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Any producer applying for an initial license or renewal of a license shall pay a non-refundable license fee of $50.00.
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Each license issued pursuant to this section shall expire on December 31st in the year of issuance, and annually thereafter, if renewed. Any license not renewed within 60 days after the expiration date shall be deemed expired and a new application shall be required. A license issued pursuant to this section is not transferrable.
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Each producer who receives a license pursuant to this section shall notify the department of any changes to the information supplied on the application for such license no later than 10 business days after any such change.
“Producer” means any person, firm, entity, partnership, or corporation in this state who keeps bees and harvests honey, or who manufactures maple syrup.
“Product” means honey produced or harvested, or maple syrup manufactured, in Connecticut.
To find out more in regards to the State of Connecticut Regulation of Department of Agriculture Concerning Honey and Maple Syrup, read more here.
For further information or guidance, please contact:
Agricultural Commodities Unit
450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 702
Hartford, CT 06103
Phone: (860) 713-2513
Email: Agr.commodities@ct.gov
