Workshop: Fight or Flight: The Struggle to Preserve Residential Beekeeping
The honey bee has garnered more attention in the last several years than at any other time in recent memory. The result of this media attention has been increased awareness and acceptance of the critical role the honey bee plays in agriculture and the environment. The number of enthusiastic part time beekeepers also has mushroomed across the nation; a classic cross section of urban and suburban demographics, yet while a neighbor may feel warm and fuzzy about the plight of bees, their general fear of insects cancels out everything, especially in areas inhabited by Africanized honey bees (AHB). One complaint to local officials, and every beekeeper in the community may face having to remove their hives. Five panelists, one from Canada and four from the U.S. will share their experiences and expertise on how they were able to preserve bees in urban/residential areas…
Date of workshop:
Saturday, January 14, 2102 10:30-12:00p.m.
Workshop panelists:
Moderator – Nancy Gentry, Interlachen, FL. farmbees@gmail.com
John Gibeau, Vancouver, British Columbia. john.gibeau@honeybeecentre.com
Beth Conrey, Berthoud, CO. Coconrey4@msn.com
Bill Coniglio, North Brunswick, NJ. wrabbitl@ix.netcom.com
Russel Shaffer, Fremont, CA. absjms11@comcast.net
Nancy Gentry is a University of Florida Master Beekeeper and has been keeping bees for the past eight years. She is a member of the Florida Honey Bee Technical Council, and in 2008 received their endorsement to pursue the passage of a preemptive law giving the Florida Department of Agriculture/State Apiary Section exclusive authority for determining location and placement of honey bee hives in Florida's 67 counties and thousands of cities. Senate Bill 1132 is now in the legislature, and passage is expected in March. Ms. Gentry co-owns Cross Creek Honey Co, Interlachen, Fl with her son Nicholas.
John Gibeau is a beekeeper in Vancouver, British Columbia and founder and President of Honeybee Centre and past president of the British Columbia Honey Producers Association. He has been keeping bees since he was 10 years old and today is the largest supplier of honeybees to fruit growers in Western Canada. In 2001, John authored the New Westminster Beekeeping Bylaw which allows residents to manage up to two beehives on their property. In 2008, John presented before Burnaby City Council advocating the keeping of bees in the city. Burnaby has since enacted a beekeeping bylaw. During the 2012 ABF convention, John will tell you a little more about his company Honeybee Centre and about the benefits and pitfalls of keeping bees in the city.
Bill Conigilo is a urban beekeeper in North Brunswick, New Jersey and has been keeping bees for nine years. Hel has been a member of the Executive Board of the New Jersey Beekeepers Association since 2002. As a way of mitigating the public's fear of honey bees, especially local officials, the Association in 2011 began focusing on the need to educate municipal and state officials on the importance of honey bees to food production and the environment. They also created a segment on the difference between honey bees and yellow Jackets, their frequency of stinging behavior and associated risk with being stung. During last year, the Association made presentations at conventions of municipal and health officials to prepare these officials for creating ordinances favorable to residential beekeeping. The NJBA has also intervened in municipal enforcement under the health nuisance laws against a beekeeper reaching a negotiated settlement to resolve the issue. Bill will be sharing the PowerPoint the Association uses in their educational presentations…
Russell Shaffer has lived in Fremont, California for 25+ years and was recently elected President of the Alameda County Beekeepers Association. He is an Alameda County California Certified Master Composter Educator and Vermicomposter. Russel has been a backyard beekeeper for 5+ years with two hives. As Russel describes, there was a "brief interruption" in his beekeeping due to a neighbor's complaint about Russel's hives which resulted in the removal of his hives, several citations, and an ensuing "thirteen month" legal battle. Russel will share how he won the battle to get back his bees and how tenacity pays off…
Beth Conroy is former president of the Northern Colorado Beekeepers Association and current president of the Colorado State Beekeepers Association (CSBA) and the Colorado Director for the Western Apicultural Society. She lives in Berthoud, Colorado and manages 50 chemical free hives. Beth is also a dedicated candle maker. Beth had the enviable position of establishing a relationship where officials from local municipalities contact the state association first and get their assistance before they write their codes for maintaining bees; a game plan our attendees will definitely want to hear more about...
Postings (four below supplied by Nancy Gentry)
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/plantinsp/apiary/apiary.html
The official website for the State Apiary Section within the Florida Department of Agriculture. Contains Best Management Practices, Buzz About Bees (educational curriculum), African Honey Bees (full-color brochure-link from "African Honey Bee" on home page)
http://www.ufhoneybee.com
The official website for the University of Florida Master Beekeeper Program. Includes Schedule and registration form for the 2012 University of Florida Bee College, March-9-10, 2012.
http://www.afbee.com
The official website for the University of Florida Africanized Bee Education Program
Senate Bill 1132 - Bill before the Florida legislature for a preemptive law giving the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services exclusive authority for determination of placement of honey bee colonies. Provided by Nancy Gentry, Interlachen, FL
"Beekeeping in the Midst of 8 Million Neighbors" 
(also includes New Jersey Best Management Practices). Provided by Bill Coniglio, New Jersey.
"Beekeeping With 8 Million Neighbors" 
(Powerpoint). Provided by Bill Coniglio, New Jersey.
"Urban Beekeeping - 2012 ABF Convention" - Powerpoint presentation provided by John Gibeau,_Vancouver, British Columbia
Honey Bee Quiz - Powerpoint presentation provided by Beth Conrey, Colorado
Code Letter 
- Provided by Beth Conrey, Colorado
