True Source Certified®

True Source Honey established the True Source Certified® program, a voluntary system of origin traceability and authenticity for participants in an international supply chain who wish to demonstrate that their sourcing practices for honey are in full compliance with requirements of the True Source Certified® Standards.

True Source Certified® was developed under a unique framework that encourages honest open participation and accountability to a wider community, coupled with and independent third party audit firm to evaluate compliance to the Standards and provide oversight to validate individual performance and claims. Under this model, participants are able to maintain the integrity of the program and hold each other accountable to honest sourcing practices.

The basic responsibilities of each participant are as follows:

Certified Companies

  • Exporters
    • Purchase honey only produced from within their country of operation for resale/export
    • Maintain a system of traceability and use a True Source Certified Seal Number for every load of honey
    • Maintain a system to ensure honey authenticity (i.e. freedom from sugar/syrup adulteration)
    • Owns and handles honey
  • Packers
    • Follow the True Source Standards when purchasing certified loads of honey from certified participants
    • Maintain a system of traceability and use the True Source Certified Seal Number for every load of honey excluding shipments from Canada, Mexico and the United States sources
    • Maintain a system to ensure honey authenticity (i.e. freedom from sugar/syrup adulteration)
    • Owns and handles honey

Participating Companies

  • Beekeepers
    • Produce and sell authentic honey directly from their own operation
  • Importers
    • Follow True Source Certified Standards when purchasing and selling certified loads of honey
    • Provide status change of uncertified load to non-True Source Certified Packers
    • Maintain a system of traceability and use the True Source Certified Seal Number for every load of honey
    • Provide the required documentation to Packers related to the import of each load
    • Never take physical possession of goods
  • Merchant Exporters
    • Follow True Source Certified Standards when purchasing and selling certified loads of honey
    • Provide status change of uncertified load to non-True Source Certified Packers/Brand Purchasers
    • Maintain a system of traceability and use the True Source Certified Seal Number for every load of honey
    • Provide the required documentation to Importers or Packers related to the export of each load
    • Never take physical possession of goods