Bees collect the nectar for their honey in the wild. The composition of the honey can be influenced by the beekeeper like the location of the apiaries.For organic honey, certain requirements must be met for the location:
To ensure that as few pesticides as possible end up in the honey, the installation site must be within a three-kilometer radius, where mainly ecological cultivated and wild plants bloom. Authorities can specify regions and locations that are not suitable for this.
Keeping the bees is also very important for organic honey.
The bees must be kept in houses made of wood, clay or straw.
The wax for the middle walls may only be of ecological quality.
Feeding the animals in winter is only allowed if the colonies are at risk.
Only honey or sugar solution that are of ecological quality is allowed as feed.
For prevention, pest and disease protection, only means and methods are permitted that are anchored in the organic regulation.
Only propolis, wax and vegetable oils may be used in the beehives.
Honeycombs must not be used for honey extraction if they contain brood.
The wings of the queen bee must not be trimmed.
These provisions for the production of organic honey can be found in the EU-ÖKO regulation and the EU-ÖKO implementation regulation.