Cornell research may expand organic honey opportunities for mainland beekeepers.

A study led by Cornell University indicates that federal organic honey regulations may necessitate more pesticide-free forage land than honeybees actually utilize, potentially allowing mainland U.S. beekeepers access to the organic market. The research revealed that bees typically forage within a radius of about 750 meters, significantly less than the nearly 4-mile organic land buffer currently mandated for certification. Published on July 29 in Science of the Total Environment, the study analyzed 72 colonies managed organically across six large farms in the Northeast.