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Can I bring back honey to the US?

Can I bring back honey to the US?

Old Jan 5, 2003, 7:32 am
  #1  
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Can I bring back honey to the US?

I'm in Thailand right now and someone gave me some honey to bring back. Question is: can I bring it back? Technically it's not a fruit, vegetable, nor meat. Perhaps I'm being a little paranoid.

Would like to send this honey back with my father, who is leaving in about 6 hours. (I have another week to veg out here.)

- Pat
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Old Jan 5, 2003, 8:56 am
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It's perfectly legal to enter the US with any amount of honey. However, you must fill out a horm if it's more than 10,000 hollars.

QL
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Old Jan 5, 2003, 8:59 am
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I really doubt it. The national beekeepers associations and the USDA are very wary of new diseases being introduced.

MisterNice
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Old Jan 5, 2003, 9:04 am
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We've brought honey back to the US with no problem - the duty free shops at ATH are full of many varieties, sizes and packages.

If it's in a commercial, unopened package I don't think there'll be a problem.

[This message has been edited by GG (edited 01-05-2003).]
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Old Jan 5, 2003, 9:11 am
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USDA doesnt regulate honey, but apparently the FDA does. Check out this recent link re contaminated Thailand/China honey: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2002/NEW00831.html

MisterNice
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Old Jan 5, 2003, 10:31 am
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I've brought back 'Miel de Raiatea' from French Polynesia several times with no problems.
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Old Jan 5, 2003, 10:34 am
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Customs has been inspecting all bulk honey imports, not sure if that trickles down to you and one jar, but I wouldn't think so. If you are flying within the united states, the shape and density of the honey may be confused with peanut butter with the new scanners, and as the TSA has been telling us Peanut Butter looks just like a bomb to the zillion dollar machines (even a five year old can tell the difference), just something to be aware of.

The U.S. Customs Service (Customs) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced that they have discovered bulk imports of Chinese honey that were contaminated with low levels of chloramphenicol (CAP), a potentially harmful antibiotic and unapproved food additive. The contaminated honey was detected during an investigation into a widespread scheme to evade payment of U.S. anti-dumping duties on bulk imports of Chinese honey.
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Old Jan 5, 2003, 12:56 pm
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Does she have a passport & visa?

(Hee-hee--just couldn't resist!)

JP
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Old Jan 5, 2003, 1:18 pm
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j379....you beat me to it...funny
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Old Jan 5, 2003, 2:46 pm
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You say 'some' honey. I saw a couple who had about 12 jars of honey get seriously inspected. The inspector put his finger into each jar, licking it between jars!

No I don't know if they got a fine. I was trying so hard not to laugh out loud.
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Old Jan 5, 2003, 7:24 pm
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I keep bees for a hobby. If your honey is confiscated, I'll send you a jar of mine

Cheers,

birdstrike
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Old Jan 5, 2003, 8:05 pm
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by QuietLion:
It's perfectly legal to enter the US with any amount of honey. However, you must fill out a horm if it's more than 10,000 hollars.</font>
I'm not sure if you're trying to be funny or not. The best I can come up with is that you're referring to the Treasury Dept declaration you must make whenever you import or export $10,000 or more in cash or cash equivalents (money orders, etc.). I would seriously doubt that honey would be considered a cash equivalent.

Other than cash equivalents, you have to declare any goods that are valued more than $400 upon your return.
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Old Jan 6, 2003, 12:00 am
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If you check it, please pack it well! Last year I arrived about 9PM or so in AUS from SFO; Upon spotting my luggage on the carousel I noticed it dripping a golden viscous liquid. I assumed it to be hydraulic fluid from a leak in the baggage hold somewhere. As I retrieved it, the unmistakeable odor of maple syrup filled the air. You haven't lived until you've had that mess to clean up! Baggage service desk knew before I opened my mouth what I was there for (they were out of pancakes!), but they offered nothing as it was not their fault, and they were right. They said pax had packed an unprotected GALLON jar of the stuff unprotected in a checked bag and I was not alone.

------------------
Ken
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Old Jan 6, 2003, 9:05 am
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by wannabe 1P:
They said pax had packed an unprotected GALLON jar of the stuff unprotected </font>
A can, I suspect...

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