How We Test Our Honey
How we test our honey — and why it matters
Every jar of honey we sell is third-party tested and certified glyphosate residue free. Here's what that means, how it works, and why we believe it's the standard every honey producer should meet.
Like a lot of families, we started paying closer attention to what was in our food. Glyphosate — the active ingredient in Roundup — has become the most widely used herbicide in the U.S., and research into its presence in our food supply has grown alongside that use. As beekeepers, we wanted to know whether it was showing up in our honey.
So we had it tested. What came back surprised us: our honey was exceptionally clean. The region we work in, the timing of our harvest, and the way we manage our hives were producing honey that was essentially free of glyphosate residue — in an era when that's increasingly hard to guarantee.
"We didn't start testing to make a marketing claim. We started because our kids eat this honey, and we wanted to know what was in it."
Since then, we've formalized that commitment into what we call our Clean Honey Standard — a promise that every product we sell, including every ingredient in our specialty honeys, meets the same bar before a single jar is filled.
Glyphosate is the world's most widely used herbicide, best known as the active ingredient in Roundup. It's applied to crops, roadsides, and fields across the country — and because bees forage widely, it can make its way into honey when bees visit treated plants or water sources near treated areas.
While regulatory bodies continue to debate safe exposure levels, many families — including ours — prefer to avoid it entirely when possible. Glyphosate residue free certification is one of the clearest ways a producer can demonstrate that commitment with real data rather than a label claim.
Our Glyphosate Residue Free certification is issued by The Detox Project, an independent organization that verifies glyphosate testing for food and supplement brands. It requires verified lab data submitted at unannounced intervals — not a one-time approval.
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1We submit samples to Light LabsProduct samples are sent to Light Labs, our independent ISO 17025-accredited testing laboratory, where they are analyzed for glyphosate residue using mass spectrometry — the most precise detection method available.
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2Results are reviewed by The Detox ProjectLab results are submitted to The Detox Project for independent review. Only products that meet their residue-free threshold receive certification. Light Labs and The Detox Project are unaffiliated — there is no conflict of interest.
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3Certification is renewed continuouslyOur certification requires re-submission at random intervals throughout the year. If results ever came back outside the threshold, certification would be suspended immediately.
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4Results are published on every product pageEvery jar carries a QR code linking directly to the lab results behind that product's certification. You're not taking our word for it — you're reading the same data The Detox Project reviewed.
Light Labs is an independent laboratory specializing in food contaminant testing. Their scientists use mass spectrometry to detect and quantify trace levels of herbicides, pesticides, and other contaminants in food products. They are trusted by some of the most demanding clean-label brands in the country and deliver results with a level of precision and speed that sets them apart in the industry.
Every product we sell — from our raw Tupelo honey to our specialty creamed honeys — must pass glyphosate residue testing before it reaches a shelf. This isn't a marketing program. It's a standard we set for our own family first, and one we stand behind for yours.