The Certified Kentucky Honey Producers (CKHP) program is the marketing brand of the Kentucky State Beekeepers Association (KSBA). We promote and certify the purchase of honey produced, harvested, extracted, and bottled with the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

For Consumers

The Certified Kentucky Honey Producers (CKHP) program was established in 2019 to help consumers be more confident in the food they consume by knowing it is authentic Kentucky honey. The program also helps Kentucky honey producers promote their products, so you know you are supporting Kentucky farmers.

Honey is the third most adulterated food in the world, just behind milk and olive oil, and according to the National Honey Board, ensuring honey authenticity is one of the greatest challenges facing the honey industry today. In the United States we consume over 400 million pounds of honey annually, however we only produce about 150 million pounds, which means the demand for imported honey is strong. This deficit creates problems for assuring authenticity and safety. Imported honey has been shown to be adulterated with other sugars such as rice syrup and even contaminated with chemicals such as the antibiotic chloramphenicol.

But what about Kentucky Proud? Kentucky Proud serves a wide range of agricultural products across the Commonwealth, but the requirements are not as strict. Unfortunately, the only requirement for honey to carry the Kentucky Proud label is that some part of the process is done in Kentucky – for honey, this could be that it is only bottled in Kentucky. This leads to some retailers purchasing cheaper imported honey in bulk, bottling it here in Kentucky, and then labeling it with a Kentucky Proud logo and selling it to you, the consumer, as “local” honey.

For Producers

The primary intent of the CKHP program is to promote truth in labeling and help Kentucky Beekeepers market their honey to conscientious consumers. In addition to ensuring CKHP honey is a true product of the state of Kentucky, our program also focuses on the following:

• Promotion and Marketing for Producer Members Throughout the State
• Use of Trademarked Logo
• Opportunity to Sell Honey at CKHP Participating Events
• Access to Promotional Materials At-cost or Free
• Opportunity to Participate in Exclusive Partnerships
• Gain Advantage of Increased Market Visibility Through the CKHP State and Regional Marketing Campaigns