Meat chickens are not beak trimmed and natural daylight is part of the Red Tractor scheme, which encompasses the vast majority of chicken produced in the country for retail.
I also think some clarity is needed around producers like Creedy Carver. I've seen these birds and they are fast growing broiler genetics reared in a free range environment. It's an ethical fudge.
The irony is some of the major retailers are a lot more transparent when it comes to their production methods, the smaller guys go under the radar and can do what they like.
The Guardian taste reviewed various chicken producers last weekend, complete tosh.
Honey is defined in Law in the Honey (England) Regulations 2015. This section defines what it should be:
2.—(1) In these Regulations “honey” means the natural sweet substance produced by Apis mellifera bees from the nectar of plants or from secretions of living parts of plants or excretions of plant-sucking insects on the living parts of plants which the bees collect, transform by combining with specific substances of their own, deposit, dehydrate, store and leave in honeycombs to ripen and mature.
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The issue is that the big honey packers aren't keen on their products being looked at too closely.
I am a beekeeper, if you want genuine honey then avoid any "honey" on the shelves that says "A mixture of honeys from EU and non-EU Countries."
Buy directly from a local beekeeper or a shop that gets their honey from a local beekeeper. If you shop in M&S then any honey from Wainwright's Honey will be good. They are based in Wales and produce some good honey. They also, IIRC, import honey from Kenya which is of good quality.
There's some debate if I remember correctly as to what the regulations say about infused honey (eg Cinnamon Honey) but if it is sold as "Honey" it can only come from the hives of Apis Mellifera and not have anything added. Moisture content needs to be below 20% otherwise it ferments. That is why the vegan alternatives cannot be marketed as Honey - not that anyone in their right mind would eat those dreadful concoctions, you'd be better off buying Golden Syrup.
Very kind of you to say, Theresa. Definitely took a tad longer to put together than I originally intended, so glad to know the effort may have actually been worth it!
Hugh, we need to talk about chicken!
Meat chickens are not beak trimmed and natural daylight is part of the Red Tractor scheme, which encompasses the vast majority of chicken produced in the country for retail.
I also think some clarity is needed around producers like Creedy Carver. I've seen these birds and they are fast growing broiler genetics reared in a free range environment. It's an ethical fudge.
The irony is some of the major retailers are a lot more transparent when it comes to their production methods, the smaller guys go under the radar and can do what they like.
The Guardian taste reviewed various chicken producers last weekend, complete tosh.
We probably should discuss over a pint!
So much nuance isn't there! Thanks – I'll definitely need to amend that. Yet to be convinced Red Tractor is particularly ethical though?
Totally up for discussing the ins and outs of (particularly the more local) producers over a drink or two.
Honey is defined in Law in the Honey (England) Regulations 2015. This section defines what it should be:
2.—(1) In these Regulations “honey” means the natural sweet substance produced by Apis mellifera bees from the nectar of plants or from secretions of living parts of plants or excretions of plant-sucking insects on the living parts of plants which the bees collect, transform by combining with specific substances of their own, deposit, dehydrate, store and leave in honeycombs to ripen and mature.
----
The issue is that the big honey packers aren't keen on their products being looked at too closely.
I am a beekeeper, if you want genuine honey then avoid any "honey" on the shelves that says "A mixture of honeys from EU and non-EU Countries."
Buy directly from a local beekeeper or a shop that gets their honey from a local beekeeper. If you shop in M&S then any honey from Wainwright's Honey will be good. They are based in Wales and produce some good honey. They also, IIRC, import honey from Kenya which is of good quality.
HTH.
Thanks – interesting insight. Does it say anywhere what proportion of a 'honey' product has to be honey (much like the 30% apple juice cider rule)?
Big fan of Wainwrights – tasting theirs was my honey enlightenment moment.
There's some debate if I remember correctly as to what the regulations say about infused honey (eg Cinnamon Honey) but if it is sold as "Honey" it can only come from the hives of Apis Mellifera and not have anything added. Moisture content needs to be below 20% otherwise it ferments. That is why the vegan alternatives cannot be marketed as Honey - not that anyone in their right mind would eat those dreadful concoctions, you'd be better off buying Golden Syrup.
You are a hero and a scholar for doing this. 🙏🏼 thank you Hugh. Such a great piece of research, truly.
Very kind of you to say, Theresa. Definitely took a tad longer to put together than I originally intended, so glad to know the effort may have actually been worth it!