barkman honey lawsuit barkman honey lawsuit

The complaints are also discussed with company management during these inspections. Why my blood sugar spikes high if I eat more than 1/4 teaspoon, This really angers me. Hiatt Honey was True Source Honey's sixth member. Numerous commercial beekeepers in the U.S. are sitting on millions of pounds of real honey that they cannot sell. "We believe that this lawsuit is unwarranted and unfounded, and we will vigorously defend ourselves," its director of marketing said. Lawyers are finding consumers who have allegedly bought adulterated honey at their local grocery stores, and having the honey laboratory tested for proof. Heitzinger said the actual number of bad actors operating under the True Source umbrella is unknown, but that he's tested many True Source-certified products and found evidence of adulteration. Kristie Konz currently lives in Red Oak, IA; in the past Kristie has also lived in Honey Creek IA and Indianola IA. North Dakota. Kristie S Konz, Kristie Sue Konz and Kristle Konz are some of the alias or nicknames that Kristie has used. This article is published to inform you of the latest class action lawsuit filed against multiple companies for collaborating to sell fake honey. "You cant sell it because nobody wants it. Add me. 1:21-cv-02593 in the New York Southern District Court. According to the Codex Alimentarius, an international collection of food standards, HMF shouldn't be above 40 milligrams per kilogram, or the honey isn't marketable anymore. Instead, the honey is simply extracted from honeycombs, strained, and bottled. Hagen also said she would look into how to keep the honey warehouse cooler in hot temperatures. But there's another threat within the honey community that's intimately entwined with the lives of bees and their beekeepers, one that is largely unknown outside their world: honey fraud. As scientists, they started to poke around legitimate ways to measure the contents of food. Many wouldn't speak openly about these topics for fear of retributionfor fear of not being able to buy or sell honey after calling out the wrong person or company, and of being exiled from an already difficult market to make a profit in. Barkman heats its honey to a temperature greater than 105 degrees Fahrenheit when it bottles its honey, because heated honey is easier to bottle and . agreed to a $13 million settlement benefiting consumers who purchased certain Kellogg cereals labeled heart healthy or lightly sweetened., Lucky Charms Cereal Causing Sickness, According to Consumer Complaints, Gushers Fruit-Flavored Snacks Class Action Claims General Mills Deceives Customers About Natural Flavoring, McDonalds Class Action Alleges Restaurant Fails To Disclose PFAS in Food Products, Whole Foods Class Action Alleges Retailer Misrepresents Amount Of Omega-3s Per Serving In Fish Oil Softgel, According to Class Action Lawsuits, These Are The Worst Baby Food Brands in America, Social Security Disability application & appeal claim review, Abbott baby formula recall lawsuit investigation. I just havent eaten it since. The honey is called "Naked Wild Great Lakes. 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. The class action lawsuit was filed against various honey importers and companies in March 2021 in a California federal court. Upset stomach and headache. But over the same period, according to the Mexico-based Honey Authenticity Project wholesale honey prices fell in the US from $3,500 (2,500) a tonne to $2,500 (1,800), brought down by low prices of Asian honey of around $1,750 (1,250) a tonne, which accounts for a third of honey exports worldwide. Discover exactly where your honey originated. Please send us a message by clicking the Contact Us button below. I had to take a sick day after eating this cereal. For more accuracy, we could dig deeper: NMR could be used in combination with other techniques like High Resolution Mass Spectrometry or water analysis, alongside the C4/C3 testing and pollen analysis as backup. R. Civ. Please add me. Look for our Naked Wild Honey and Busy Bee Honey. 5:19-cv-04074-SAC-ADM, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. As beekeepers encounter growing environmental struggles to keep their bees alive, one of the major ways they make moneyselling honeyis no longer supporting them. Tiffany's relationship status is single. A True Source Honey Company - Barkman Honey Join Our Team ABOUT BEES HONEY KITCHEN PRODUCTS CONTACT The Sweet Tradition Everyone Loves. It was a great idea, Hiatt said. 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 She said it made her sick so we discarded it. Raw honey is different from regular honey because it is not heated at all during processing. They won't say to you, 'We're not going to do anything about it,' but nothing will get done. On its website, it's described as Raw and Unfiltered and as 100% Pure Raw Honey on its label. Between 2007 and 2019, there was a 128% increase in Asian honey exports worldwide even though the number of hives has only risen slightly and honey yields have fallen due to threats to bees from pesticides, poor nutrition and parasitic mites. Kroger claimed in its motion to dismiss that tests of random samples prove nothing about what is generally true of their honey, that elevated HMF levels could be caused by factors other than heating, that, and that there is no consensus about what the term raw means. ADD me, add me I sent them a email and they sent me coupons. Levy et al. However, the lead plaintiffs argue that the honey they sell is fake. In February, Strange Honey Farm filed a motion to dismiss alleging that the plaintiffs failed to comply with federal class action rules. Every step of the process, from the point where the bees bring the nectar back to hive, to the point where the consumer buys it off the shelf, he said. A big addition to the wildlife that biology students will study, arrived on campus last week. Those people who will have a honey business, they usually know how to handle honey, so dont put it into the bright sun for ages, dont heat it. Barkman Honey. Gawenis is a scientisthe doesn't sell honey or import it. They add that the companies involved were some of the biggest importers of honey in the U.S. market and have continually claimed that what they are selling is pure and real honey. ), "It is just pure fraud in our opinion. I still have the packet on hand with cereal in it. Some of the complainants reported their children becoming sick after eating the cereal. Since 1960, it's been our passion to deliver high quality, traceable honey to your table. From there, they can do what they like with the information. !(r) However, most of the honey imported and exported in the market is of low quality because they are fake. Barkman Honey 9 years 3 months Sr Operations Analyst Oct 2021 - Mar 20226 months Supply Chain Operations Manager Apr 2018 - Feb 20223 years 11 months Hillsboro, Kansas Supply Chain Assistant. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Top Class Actions is a Proud Member of the American Bar Association, Various Trademarks held by their respective owners. 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. <>/Pages 2 0 R /StructTreeRoot 65 0 R /Names<<>>/Type/Catalog/MarkInfo<>/Lang(en-US)>> The feature allows for the user to increase the quantity count by pressing a (+) or (-) feature on the screen. Wow my son stood over with me and we stood up late watching movies and playing video games. Note: Revenues for privately held companies are statistical evaluations. Pls add me! Nature Nate's said that it stands by the integrity of their products. Your email address will not be published. My dad and daughter have experienced nausea and vomiting after eating Lucky Charms. Contact Us - Barkman Honey Phone: 8003646623 Fax: 6209473640 Corporate Office & Kansas Packaging 120 Santa Fe Street Hillsboro, KS 67063 Marketing & Sales 7075 W. 37th St. N. Wichita, KS 67205 New York Packaging 7871 Lehigh Crossing #4 Victor, NY 14564 Florida Packaging 5385 SE Highway 70 Arcadia, FL 34266 CONTACT US Privacy Policy | He said that it could be this honey had been through resin technologythe resin tech can confuse the NMR, and make its findings garbled. (620) 947-3173. Wed love to hear back from you. I have purchased this honey. Resin technology also removes any enzymes or chemicals that many honey consumers desirethe same that supposedly have all those health benefits. In early January, in an attempt to "pursue the truth," I brought four bottles of honey to test in Gawenis's lab in Missouri. I was the worst. NMR isn't new, but its application to honey is. The lack of alt-text on these graphics prevents screen readers from accurately vocalizing a description of the graphics. As long as adulterated imported honey floods the domestic market, US honey producers will find it very difficult to build a sustainable business model predicated on authentic honey," he wrote in a recent white paper on the topic, presented at 2019's World Honey Congress, Apimondia, in Montreal. Photo by Ethan Weston. They have accused the honey importers Sunland Trading and Lamex Food and the honey-packers Barkman Honey and Dutch Gold Honey of conspiring to defraud the US honey market, along with True Source Honey, an organisation set up by the importers and packers to operate a honey-certification scheme that the beekeepers claim passes off fake honey as genuine. They are a bit behind the times when it comes to compensation. "As with any food, when you're not sure of the origin, you can't be sure of the quality. Check Background. But in the past decade, adulterators figured out how to create C3 sugars out of plants like rice. Noticed the past couple of monthes after my evening bowl kind of got an upset stomach for about an hour. "Even if it comes from a tropical area, its pretty high. Arne Dubecke works in research and development at the ISO-accredited food testing laboratory, Quality Services International, in Bremen, Germany. "There has to be some sort of legal mechanism that punishes those who cheat., As a honey importer, you violate food safety and drug code if you use adulterated products. Packed in a convenient, squeezable honey bear shaped container with an easy-open, mess free cap. Such other and further relief as this Court deems just and proper. The practice has allegedly caused harm to the business of beekeepers. Copyright 2023 Accessibility.com, LLC. According to a recent class action, Barkmans Naked Wild Great Lakes Honey is not raw like the company advertises. 2012-10151-CA-15 (Fla. 11th Jud. The cases settled on favorable terms for our clients. Why do u say add me?? PrivacyPolicy|TermsandConditions| CaliforniaTransparencyinSupplyChainsAct. Gawenis pored over the results on the computer for awhile longer. Had the runs after eating lucky charms! Please add me to this settlement. 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. 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. Fake Honey Class Action Lawsuit: Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window). 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. Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P., All rights reserved. For the past two years, his hands have barely been sore at all. Gawenis passed it to me to smell. ", When he's seen his own honey at large grocery stores, the color and texture are completely different than what he gathered from his bees. In response to an email for comment, Hagen told me, "We are proud of our raw natural honey. They contend that the companies have intentionally deceived their customers about the quality of the honey they have sold over the years. expected to be mailed out. 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. I love this honey. When testing honey, you would expect to find C3 sugars; if you saw C4, it meant other sugars had been added to it. When Lara and I started this, we knew we were getting into a relatively dark world, Gawenis said. What if I had fed that to my two and a half year old?! As a result, the plaintiffs voluntarily withdrew the case but have said they plan to refile. Sanchez v. Barkman Honey, LLC, Court Case No. Our company is our hive. Lawsuit Claims Some Store 'Honey' Brands Are Deceptive. We had no idea how dark a world. With high fever of 101-103 and chills. You would think honey would be way up, $2.50, $3.00, because in the store you see it $7, $8 a pound," he said. "xXEXxZj[zkzmt|gENf36gP@M8bms;wyr>#DAUikZ!$` KfBmo2Bb^l:$o]? BYIADx5u|F~Eq~FDm^k !+`%^. Its warmed just enough to liquefy the honey crystals while retaining natural enzymes, flavor and aroma. "I would say there is almost no honey in it at all," said Jane van der Meulen, the head of QSI's NMR department. "We are presently not testing for purity," he said, though he pointed out that at the last board meeting in June 2019, a committee was formed to discuss starting purity testing too. Now the FDA is responding to the reports, saying it is aware of the complaints and is looking into the matter. Have you ever gotten sick from eating a breakfast cereal? CaliforniaTransparencyinSupplyChainsAct. Even if a lab comes up with the perfect honey analysis, it won't matter if no one is required to consistently use it, and there's transparency around the honey-making process. barkman honey lawsuit. Carol Hagen, the Nashville distributor for Strange Honey Farm, sent out a press release a week after the case was dismissed. Buehler asked Heitzinger for his help, and that choice to say yes plunged Heitzinger head-first into the world of honey fraud. The lab was founded in 1954 as the Institute for Honey Research, and though they now test other foods and drugs beside honey, they have extensive experience on determining the quality and veracity of honey samples. 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. I got sick with diarrhea and I began vomiting a week ago. Lack of Alternative Text (alt-text), or a text equivalent. Barkman Honey It's our passion to deliver high quality, traceable honey to your table. please add me thanks I have use this kind, Your email address will not be published. 12182, et seq., N.Y. Exec. "There is no doubt that this honey is adulterated," she said. 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. Wingate and the proposed Class are represented by J. Phillip Gragson, John H. Hutton, and Kathleen S. Harvey of Henson Hutton Mudrick Gragson & Vogelsberg LLP, Kent A. Heitzinger of Kent A. Heitzinger & Associates, and Terrence Buehler of The Law Office of Terrence Buehler. It is banned from our house. Product Dimensions : 5 x 5 x 7.63 inches; 5 Pounds. The second bottle of honey from Wal-Mart had slightly higher HMF levels than the first time, but overall was still pretty good, van der Meulen said. The Newsletter Bringing the Legal System to Light. Our life's work is preserving and protecting the honeybee. The beekeepers are just trying to stay alive. Please add me. Dubecke said while we shouldn't eradicate older methods for testing honey, NMR is "basically the most comprehensive screening method right now." They alleged that tests of . Thanks!! General Mills produces a wide range of branded foods that are sold at retailers across the United States. My son and I ate two bowl each and was both food poisoned. Please add me. It is just pure fraud in our opinion. Unlike previous lawsuits, this lawsuit focuses on a different set of victims: U.S. beekeepers who have been overwhelmingly harmed by adulterated honey flooding into the North American market. Required fields are marked *. They have that attitude that things need to be done, no matter who does it. 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. The most exciting stories on the internet. Two weeks later, after eating it again, he vomited. Quite honestly, right now, Americans dont know what honey is supposed to taste like, Gawenis said. I had stomach pains and diarrhea eating this cereal and it was my favorite until I got sick. Top Class Cir. 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). Gawenis pulled up the Strange honey results on his computer screen immediately, I saw red all over the analysis page. Family-owned and founded in 1960, we're based in Hillsboro, Kan. and employ 100+ team members. Hillsboro, KS 67063. barkmanhoney.com. RG 19-001951 contains Lead in a concentration exceeding the Lead Level, shall be sold or offered for sale by Settling Defendant unless Settling Defendant provides a clear and reasonable warning as further specified in this Section 3. 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. The Barkman honey class action lawsuit also includes claims against True Source Honey LLC, the company which reportedly certified Barkman's honey products. Lawsuits, Liens or Bankruptcies found on Ernest's Background Court records found on Ernest's Family, Friends, Neighbors, or Classmates . "There has to be some sort of legal mechanism that punishes those who cheat.. The label didn't say raw, so, technically, this is not a case of outright fraud. "Sophisticated and large scale adulteration has thus been able to make a mockery of the honey industrys feigned attempt at 'self-policing' through True Source," said one honey importer and packer, who requested anonymity over fears of professional retribution. 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. Customer Reviews: > WHAT IS TRUE SOURCE CERTIFIED? https://topclassactions.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php. 12182, et seq., N.Y. Exec. Hillsboro, KS 67063. barkmanhoney.com. In December, a complaint was filed against Strange Honey farm, owned by Gary and Fonda Strange, alleging that its raw local honey is not from Tennessee, as it advertises on its bottle and website. Please add me! 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. 1 talking about this. If so, you may be forced to pay for replacement engines and repairs out-of-pocket. 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. "Other honey is found to contain added syrups or sweetener extenders that are not made by bees in the hive," its website states. The honey is called "Naked Wild Great Lakes Raw Honey" and is True Source certified. Barkman Honey's annual revenues are $10-$50 million (see exact revenue data) and has 100-500 employees. For the Busy Bee honey, van der Meulen told me that she couldn't confirm or deny Gawenis's hunch about resin technologyand that there's currently no good way to tell for sure, even with NMR. . I currently been using this honey for months!! Add me to your class action. All Rights Reserved. Weinberg's plan is to conduct unannounced forensics audits, where hell show up at the beekeepers to look at the hives, the way the honey is being collected, go through the documentation, and take samples to send to Gawenis for NMR testing. 1:12-cv-21607 (S.D. Chris Hiatt knows he's had a good summer for honey when he can barely close his hands by the end of the season. However, the FDA said it has also received no calls at itsFood and Cosmetic Information Center related to Lucky Charms. Ch. The plaintiffs allege that the companies have conspired to sell fake honey in the market. Would you be willing to pay another dollar a pound to be certain that your honey is real?. But Gawenis said that no method of testing is likely to stay 100 percent effective forever. Let us know in the comments! My husband and I used to eat lots of Lucky Charms until we stated experiencing terrible belly pains and cramps. It comes from the. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_4" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement I'm trying to basically work with beekeepers and honest packers to certify their genuine honey," Weinberg said.