> WHAT IS TRUE SOURCE CERTIFIED? But, I would say its definitely suspicious.". Then he made all the honey the same pH level, to be able to accurately compare the samples to one another. Report Fraud Barkman Honey's annual revenues are $10-$50 million (see exact revenue data) and has 100-500 employees. In dozens of conversations, beekeepers, honey importers, and honey packers (those who put honey into bottles) shared how precarious the situation is. Commercial beekeepers in the US say counterfeit honey from Asia is forcing down prices and pushing them to financial collapse. Hillsboro, KS 67063. barkmanhoney.com. Published by at 14 Marta, 2021. "), A lawsuit filed by Heitzinger and Buehler in August 2019 named a product from Barkman Honey, one of the largest honey packers in North America. "In my opinion, they've all been doing this for years," Kent Heitzinger, one of the lawyers said. Needless to say, I had to stop eating it. Note: Revenues for privately held companies are statistical evaluations. % I also ate some and I am still reeling from the nausea etc. Please send us a message by clicking the Contact Us button below. All Rights Reserved. Add me. All rights reserved. 3.2 Warning Language. Then the family all meets up for the summer to make honey. It contends that the defendants deceitful actions and wrongful collaboration have violated multiple laws, including the California Cartwright Act and Unfair Competition Law, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, and the Sherman Antitrust Act. Gawenis passed it to me to smell. x\_oFRa\(4&CQAX8It~%%.9\ |z-7}yY.oWKUq/|Q%>zZ,W3vj"00##eD/A _aW/_,aW70gBDR0F\)vuE^mj;z%L(V>/,Stx O1K=0+xLk@gOVy5H>^?t{O_,D),yHr'. But he said that some loyal members of True Source have been resistant to join. The White House, the USDA, the EPA have all recognized the threat to pollination, yet they didn't make the connection to the honey producer and the economic fraud, Roberts said. Don't Miss Out! The Barkman honey class action lawsuit also includes claims against True Source Honey LLC, the company which reportedly certified Barkmans honey products. ), "It is just pure fraud in our opinion. South Shore Hospital disclosed in February 2022 that highly sensitive personal and medical information belonging Read More. barkman honey lawsuit. Imports of cheap, fake honey from Asia are pushing American beekeepers to financial collapse, according to a lawsuit. It argues that imitation honey contained additives, including sugar. The company offers its products primarily to the restaurants, hospitals . Our goal within Sweetwater is that before too long, we lead the dance., "Would you be willing to pay another dollar a pound to be certain that your honey is real?. Add me my daughter has been feeling sick throwing up and stomach ache, diarrhea sometimes on and off for years first I thought it was the almond milk but shell never get sick when she eat other cereal with the milk like coco pebbles etc, weve even went to doctors but now it all makes sense because it was always when she ate lucky charms, ADD ME! Ernie E Barkman, B E Recyclers, Ernie Barkman, Ernest C Barkman. Lawyers are finding consumers who have allegedly bought adulterated honey at their local grocery stores, and having the honey laboratory tested for proof. The suit states True Source permits Barkman to use the True Source Certified label. The Busy Bee honey is distributed by Barkman Honey, and is True Source certified, as is Walmart's Clover Honey. Administrative Code 8-107, et seq., and the laws of New York; A preliminary and permanent injunction requiring Defendant to take all the steps necessary to make its Website into full compliance with the requirements set forth in the ADA, and its implementing regulations, so that the Website is readily accessible to and usable by blind individuals; A declaration that Defendant owns, maintains and/or operates its Website in a manner that discriminates against the blind and which fails to provide access for persons with disabilities as required by Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. Yes. Adulteration is driving global honey prices down, leaving beekeepers barely able to sell their honey for a profit. True Source, in its motion, wrote that since the program is designed to ensure that the honey was legally imported into the U.S., its certification isn't misleading when it comes to adulteration. My 11-year-old son was sick after he ate Lucky Charms, one parent said on the website. Misleading Non-Drowsy Claims on Medicines Learn About Our Investigation. Law 296, et seq., N.Y.C. It is classified as operating in the Food Manufacturing industry. You do have some companies who are actually concerned about the actual real quality of what it is they're producing," he said. An investigation has commenced regarding Honda CR-V(MY 2019-2021),Civic(MY 2019-2021)andAccord(MY 2018-2021)vehicles that are prone to engine oil contamination. Usually, beekeepers split their time between pollination and honey producing. Multiple companies were charged with a nationwide class action lawsuit alleging that they have worked together to sell fake honey in the U.S. market. Holding on to it now. my kids got stomach pains severe add us no longer buying. > GET TO KNOW US. The complainants declare that the defendants have worked together in implementing fraudulent business practices to take over the honey market. When you heat honey, sugars undergo a chemical reaction called the Maillard reaction, which produces HMF at levels that shouldn't occur naturally, given the age of the honey. 1:12-cv-21607 (S.D. Did also get sick after eating these cereal. Please add me and my familybwas getting sick after eating this cereal, Please add me, this is probably why I been sick on my stomach lately. 3 talking about this. But in a series of lawsuits filed over the last year, honey adulteration is finally being brought out of the shadows. Please add me! R. Civ. Honey fraud can take many forms, from harvesting it prematurely and drying it artificially, to adding cheap sugars and syrups. Let us know in the comments! In about a week, Dubecke told me they had my answer: A repeat testing of the Tennessee honey had found adulteration. Required fields are marked *. Lack of Alternative Text (alt-text), or a text equivalent. Their actions, which include blocking genuine honey from being sold in the market, have harmed both beekeepers and consumers. After pollinating almonds, Hiatt will send 10,000 hives up to Washington to pollinate apples. Barkman Honey produces and distributes honey to the foodservice industry. The Busy Bee honey results remain confusing. Please add me to the list. True Source has knowingly or negligently failed to monitor its member Barkman for compliance with its True Source requirement that it maintain a system that will prevent honey from being sold by Barkman that is not adulterated, the Barkman honey class action lawsuit argues. New nectar: could artificial pollen make life sweeter for bees? Filing 16 WAIVER of SERVICE RETURNED EXECUTED: Waiver sent to Barkman Honey, LLC on 4/2/2021, Answer due 6/1/2021 (Wade, Gillian) May 5, 2021: Filing 15 NOTICE of APPEARANCE by Catherine Susan Simonsen on behalf of Sunland Trading, Inc.. Attorney Simonsen, Catherine Susan added. This is crazy! By submitting your comment and contact information, you agree to receive marketing emails from Top Class Actions regarding this and/or similar lawsuits or settlements, and/or to be contacted by an attorney or law firm to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you if you qualify. Gawenis and his wife, Lara, got into food authenticity after a relative was diagnosed with celiac disease. Their Kansas Bee Harmony Honey is available for sale at Nectar Republic in Clifton Square as well as the Old Town Farmer's Market every Saturday. Wingate seeks to represent a Class of consumers who purchased Barkmans 100% Raw Honey products. The price of diesel, the price of trucking, every time we go between a state, it's a quarter of a million dollars because it's $3.50 a mile now to haul bees., The honey prices just can't cover it. Bad news, They arent magically delicious since I got bad diarrhea from them. The warning required by Section 3.1 . There was a NMR machine at the University of Missouriexactly the right kind for screening food. that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, The class action lawsuit was filed against various honey importers and companies in March 2021 in a California federal court. With its growing reputation as a luxury item, the retail prices for honey are increasing, and honey is being used more frequently in other food products. The lawsuit alleged Kellogg violated certain laws by labeling three of its cereals with certain nutritious statements even though plaintiffs alleged the products contained excessive amounts of sugar. (In its motion to dismiss, Nature Nates said that it discloses that its honey is gently warmed and claimed that it has no knowledge of there being syrup in its honey. Buehler asked Heitzinger for his help, and that choice to say yes plunged Heitzinger head-first into the world of honey fraud. 5:19-cv-04074-SAC-ADM, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. In half of the samples I sent to a lab in Germany, and more than half of those I sent to a lab in Missouri, the results indicated adulteration may have taken place. I ate some as a midnight snack and almost IMMEDIATELY after finishing had terrible cramping and diarrhea for several days. A lawsuit filed by Heitzinger and Buehler in August 2019 named a product from Barkman Honey, one of the largest honey packers in North America. administrator or law firm. <>stream I got sick with diarrhea and I began vomiting a week ago. Dubecke said while we shouldn't eradicate older methods for testing honey, NMR is "basically the most comprehensive screening method right now." Several beekeepers and packers, who didn't want to be named for fear of professional retribution, told me that True Source hasn't been as thorough as they claim to be, and has instead become a shield behind which nefarious players can import adulterated honey without reprimand. After leaving Missouri with these results, I decided to try and replicate them at QSI in Germany. Beesponsible is supported by Barkman Honey, a family-owned honey business that has been around since the 1920s. When I reached out to Strange Farms and their distributor, Hagen, with the second round of results, Hagen told me that Strange was still being advised by his lawyer not to comment. 120 Santa Fe Street. These battles that are being fought are battles of survival, quite frankly, Roberts said in an interview. I had stomach pains and diarrhea eating this cereal and it was my favorite until I got sick. Please add me Eric baumert, I recently ate lucky charms this week and suffered the worst bloating stomach ache ,sweating lack of sleep abd fatigue after eating lucky charms. They're selling products to the American public that isn't what it says it is.. The feature allows for the user to increase the quantity count by pressing a (+) or (-) feature on the screen. Now I have to go stand in the cold to sell honey at a farmers market.". We thought it was a virus but now realize it was the cereal. The honey is called "Naked Wild Great Lakes. Honey Brook, PA. View Address. Gawenis pulled up the Strange honey results on his computer screen immediately, I saw red all over the analysis page. "A harmonization of methods is usually not easy," Dubecke said. As a result of producing such a large amount of products, General Mills has received a significant amount of consumer complaints over the years, including allegations of misconduct, improper behavior, false marketing, dangerous chemicals being found in the products and more. Your email address will not be published. Imports of cheap, fake honey from Asia are pushing American beekeepers to financial collapse, according to a lawsuit. (620) 947-3173. That it did not is evident that the True Source certification is false.. Since 1928 Barkman Honey has spread the word on beekeeping best practices, raised the standards for honey quality, and lead the charge for ethical sourcing of honey. So far, many beekeepers and honey packers have agreed to be Weinberg's first members of what he's calling GenuHoney. The lawsuit alleged Kellogg violated certain laws by labeling three of its cereals with certain nutritious statements even though plaintiffs alleged the products contained excessive amounts of sugar. You must contact the My husband first had diahhrea after eating Lucky Charms my daughter bought for him as a gag Christmas gift in 12/21. They're selling products to the American public that isn't what it says it is.. (620) 947-3173. Its probably not enough as proof to say this is absolutely, clearly adulterated. . 2012-10151-CA-15 (Fla. 11th Jud. Take Indian gum honey, for example: "Tastes and smells like old gym socks," said Jim Gawenis, a biochemist and the owner of Sweetwater Science, an independent food-authenticity laboratory with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) accreditation. The fake honey was also mislabeled as genuine, which has tricked consumers into buying them. The USDA has a grading systemA, B, or Cthat lets producers slap Grade A, Grade B, or Grade C on their labels, with zero enforcement, journalist Larry Olmstead wrote in his book on food fraud Real Food, Fake Food. I was the worst. There has to be a governance in all of this," Roberts told me. Not to mention severe bloating and the worst part, sulphur burps. "There is no doubt that this honey is adulterated," she said. Website. The other two I wanted to buy from your average grocery store, like Walmart or a small bodega; I selected ones that weren't super high-end but still made claims of being pure honey on their labels. Whole Foods and Barkman, which packs Busy Bee honey, did not respond for comment about either Sweetwater or QSIs test results. It also declares that multiple factors have caused the decrease in natural honey production, including climate change, pesticides, and disasters. I thought it was a bug or something I ate for dinner, but when hubby got sick that noight too (he ate different food at dinner), I should have put 2 and 2 together. We look forward to hearing from you. The global honey market has grown from 1.5m tonnes produced annually in 2007 to more than 1.9m in 2019, and is worth about $7bn (5bn). expected to be mailed out. VIOLATIONS OF THE ADA, 42 U.S.C. I still have the packet on hand with cereal in it. For the past two years, his hands have barely been sore at all. I often give the marshmallows and cereal to my parrot as a treat! There is more honey being sold each year than existing bee populations are capable of producing and from some countries which dont even have the climate or floral resources to produce large volumes of honey, said Arturo Carrillo, coordinator of the Honey Authenticity Project, which estimates that about a third of worldwide honey imports could be counterfeit. Some honeys are heated to high temperatures, for easier manipulation and to avoid crystallization, but are presented as raw. Terms and Conditions. Nature Nates Class Action Lawsuit Says 100% Raw Honey is Mislabeled, IED Attacks Made Deadlier by Funding from Iran, Trader Joes Manuka Honey Class Action Tossed. When I took them to the Emergency Room the doctor stated that it was food poisoning. 7075 W 37th St N Ste A, Wichita, Kansas, 67205, United States. . This reportedly results in honeys natural enzymes staying intact, which produces a higher quality product with more nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, and pollen. The class action lawsuit maintains that the governments lack of strict rules and regulations to oversee the honey industry has resulted in companies like True Source to certify and allow imitation honey to enter and dominate the market. Shame on this company for continuing to see it. Other forms of adulteration can obscure where honey comes from, like ultra-filtration. It is classified as operating in the Women's, Girls' & Infants Clothing & Apparel Manufacturing industry. Last Updated June 3, 2021 at 2:43 PM EDT (12 months ago) Numerous commercial beekeepers in the U.S. are sitting on millions of pounds of real honey that they cannot sell. It's our passion to deliver high quality, traceable honey to your table. By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from Vice Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content. Other Ernest Barkman's; Court Records Found! The Barkman honey class action lawsuit also includes claims against True Source Honey LLC, the company which reportedly certified Barkman's honey products. %PDF-1.5 My dad and daughter have experienced nausea and vomiting after eating Lucky Charms. Key Principal: Brent Barkman See more contacts Industry: Honey, strained and bottled , Molasses, mixed or blended: from purchased ingredients Printer Friendly View Address: 120 Santa Fe St Hillsboro, KS, 67063-9688 United States See other locations Phone: Website: www.barkmanhoney.com Employees (this site): Modelled Employees (all sites): Actual Product of U.S.A., U.S. Grade A Strained, True Source Certified, Kosher DELICIOUSLY VERSATILE - Squeeze this honey into your favorite cup of hot coffee or tea. Eat this alot n been getting sick. They are a bit behind the times when it comes to compensation. He wanted to give something for his six sons to do, which he sure did, Hiatt said. 1 0 obj <>stream Add me please. In the third case involving only Barkman Honey (formerly Golden Heritage Foods), the parties entered into an injunctive-relief-only class settlement, and the court approved the settlement and dismissed the action with prejudice. And it's all about profits.". In a small experiment of my own, I bought honey from different stores to test them at two different honey labs. Thanks ! Red Oak, IA. We tested about 60 to 70 different companies, and we found that about 50 to 60 percent of those honeys tested are bad honey," Heitzinger said. Barkmans Naked Wild Great Lakes Honey is reportedly described as raw and unfiltered on its website and its label features claims that the product is 100% Pure Raw Honey.. It's a harsh irony, given that the consumption of honey has gone up by over 40 percent in the last 20 yearsfrom around 400 million pounds to 575 million in 2018. Sanchez v. Barkman Honey, LLC Federal Civil LawsuitNew York Southern District Court, Case No. Kent Heitzinger is a lawyer based in Chicago whose litigious world revolved around commercial litigationuntil two years ago. Noticed the past couple of monthes after my evening bowl kind of got an upset stomach for about an hour. The Plaintiff claims that the digital accessibility of the defendant's website (beesponsible.com), a company in the Food Products industry, is not sufficient to make it accessible to people with disabilities. As he does with Inscatech, he'd also have covert operatives on the ground in Asia, South America, or India to make sure that what's happening at factories is on the up and up. 18 0 obj Such other and further relief as this Court deems just and proper. Beekeeper and Honey Producer Brent Barkman talks about the filtering and packaging of honey. It's our passion to deliver high quality, traceable honey to your table. In early January, in an attempt to "pursue the truth," I brought four bottles of honey to test in Gawenis's lab in Missouri. This cereal doesnt set well with the described adverse reactions after eating it. Though the methods for NMR are the same, I wanted to see if another purchased bottle of the Tennessee honey or Whole Foods would have the same findings, essentially giving them another chance. Yet, according to their website, True Source certification monitors where honey comes from to ensure that honey doesn't come from countries that manipulate their honey. Note: Revenues for privately held companies are statistical evaluations. For more than a century, the world's leading companies have turned to Shook, Hardy & Bacon to obtain favorable results under the most contentious circumstances. Barkman Honey and Kroger did not respond to requests for comment by the time of publication. Top Class Actions is a legal news source Unknown to Plaintiff and the Class, the Raw Honey sold by Barkman is in not, fact, raw. I had to take a sick day after eating this cereal. We are not the criminals in this story, we are just attempting to raise bees and sell honey and support our families. Brent and Lynette Barkman recently returned to their alma mater to set up two educational hives. Why my blood sugar spikes high if I eat more than 1/4 teaspoon, This really angers me. This can introduce confusion for keyboard and screen- reader users; Redundant Links where adjacent links go to the same URL address which results in additional navigation and repetition for keyboard and screen-reader users; and. "That's my gut feeling. Its warmed just enough to liquefy the honey crystals while retaining natural enzymes, flavor and aroma. . Learn more about Busy Bee Honey and our other products. We work to preserve and protect bees. I always would eat these and a few hours later I was always sick to my stomach and would have really bad dirrahea. Fixed: Release in which this issue/RFE has been fixed.The release containing this fix may be available for download as an Early Access Release or a General Availability Release. Please add me. "We do not look into these kinds of matters," Saunders said. The beekeepers have also accused Intertek Testing Services, in whose laboratory the honey is tested, and the certification scheme auditors NSF International of colluding in the million-dollar crime by using and approving outdated methods to detect fake honey. The complaint states that if True Source did the kinds of rigorous monitoring they say they do, they would have discovered these issues themselves. Nelnet Servicing Data Leak Your Personal Information At Risk! I have gotten ill after eating lucky charms, I had sickness for 3 evenings in a row from eating lucky charms before I could figure it out still have remains of cereal, Please add me. As a result of producing such a large amount of products, General Mills has received a significant amount of consumer complaints over the years, including allegations of misconduct, improper behavior, false marketing, dangerous chemicals being found in the products and more. The Barkman honey class action lawsuit seeks compensatory damages, equitable relief, declaratory relief, punitive damages, interest, court costs, and attorneys fees. Sign into add some. "There has to be some sort of legal mechanism that punishes those who cheat.. The enzymes that are found in honey decrease or vanish altogether when they are heated to high temperatures, like 100 degrees or more, Dubecke said. Reputation Score: 2.01 - 3.76. "As with any food, when you're not sure of the origin, you can't be sure of the quality. ", Adulteration will cause American food production to falter.". Wed love to hear back from you. 1:21-cv-02593 No tags have been applied so far. I bought the same bottles of honey, packaged them up in bubble wrap, and sent them to Europe. The beekeepers are just trying to stay alive. What Causes a Knee Replacement to Loosen? All of a sudden, you have Argentinian honey., According to Roberts, the threat to pollination and our food systems and the threat to the economic survival of the honey producers from honey fraud are intimately connected. Never realized that it was the cereal that made me sick! All rights reserved. <>/Pages 2 0 R /StructTreeRoot 65 0 R /Names<<>>/Type/Catalog/MarkInfo<>/Lang(en-US)>> The class action lawsuit was filed against various honey importers and companies in March 2021 in a California federal court. According to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) of the Supreme Court of Illinois, which does handle these complaints, Heitzinger does not have any public record of discipline or pending proceedings. Honey can be extracted while its still immature (when it's not yet honey, but a nectar product), or labeled as local when instead it comes from overseas. [213+ Pages Report] Global honey market size & share are estimated to reach USD 15.79 Billion in the year 2026 and is growing at a CAGR value of 8.7% during 2021-2026.