Discussions trending on Bee-L: 
An online Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology
* Queen quality effected by mating nuc size?
* Varroa-free colonies outside of Australia
* Bee venom for arthritis
* Defense against stinging...Attire
* Feeding bees
* Hopguard II
* The Genome of the Month: Apis mellifera
* Probiotic Treatment of AFB
* Why is Oxalic Acid Vaporization harmless?
Interesting Post:
Tolstoy description of dying, queenless hive (2 paragraphs)
Excerpt from War and Peace: " ...the beekeeper strikes the wall of the sick hive, instead of the instant, unanimous response, the buzzing of tens of thousands of bees menacingly arching their backs, and by the rapid stroke of their wings making that whirring, living sound, he is greeted by a disconnected, droning hum from different parts of the deserted hive..."
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Honey Commercial Item Description for Honey Finalized (CID)
After a 3 year comment period utilizing comments from over 50 stakeholders, a CID for honey is now ready. This CID covers honey, packed in commercially acceptable containers, suitable for use and under inspection or surveillance by Federal, State, local governments, and other interested parties. This CID includes, but is not limited to, regulatory, quality, and/or
authenticity requirements.
>Noteworthy- the description for Raw Honey, does not mention temperature.
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This is a serious issue that will affect all NYS beekeepers.
This is important to beekeepers who are already registered voluntarily, as NYS Ag & Markets does not communicate with them.
What many would like to see is for the State of New York to provide services for all beekeepers, with no strings attached, and release information about disease info, spraying, and other programs which may affect honey bees such as tick control measures using pesticides-- all info which Albany possesses. A hive and frame fumigation chamber centrally located in NYS would be extremely helpful in controlling pathogens.
The Bill should remove any mandatory registration, as it is an absolute hot button (nuclear strength) issue in NYS that will only cause unnecessary anger and tension. Peter Borst in the June ABJ writes about apiary programs in the USA; some states have good programs with voluntary registration; having mandatory registration in other states does not prevent high winter loss and AFB incidence. Forcing it on beekeepers isn't worth the battle and is non-productive.
Resolution: The members of NOFA-NY call upon Governor Cuomo and Agriculture Commissioner Ball to improve the Apiary Program in the following ways:
- Keep hive and apiary registration voluntary in NYS.
- Provide notification and communication of county spraying for mosquitoes, use of bee toxic substances for tick abatement, and outbreaks of honey bee disease such as American Foulbrood, for all beekeepers and the general public
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The NYS Apiary Industry Advisory Committee (AIAC) met September 30 in Albany. While minutes are not yet available, here are a few notes :
1) Due to the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) requiring antibiotic prescriptions from veterinarians, Apiculture will be moved from the Division of Plant Industry to the Division of Animal Industry, which has 6 vets on staff. Protocols for prescriptions need to be established.
2) NYS Ag & Markets has spent about a year preparing a change in the NY Apiculture law, and and convincing some legislators to introduce the new bill. They will not hold comment periods or announce proposed changes, but said that it is the responsibility of beekeepers to do online searches for any proposed changes, as they are too busy with other work...
3) To date, the position for the NYS Apiculturist has not yet been filled.
There are 3 seasonal inspectors.
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Register for NOFA-NY's 2020 Winter Conference!
The 2020 Winter Conference will take place Friday, January 17 - Sunday, January 19, at the Oncenter in Syracuse, NY. Whether you're a farmer, gardener, homesteader, educator, enthusiast, or eater, there's something at the conference for everybody!
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1) Tips on Working Bees Randy Oliver
2) Healthy Bees, Meghan Milbrath (MSU)
3) Nosema & Varroa Mites Randy Oliver
4) The Times They are a Changin', Randy Oliver
5) Mite resistant queen stock , Meghan Milbrath (MSU)
6) Biology of Wintering Bees, Medhat Nasr PhD, Alberta
7)Proactive Beekeeping, Medhat Nasr PhD
8)"What is Killing Our Bees" Medhat Nasr PhD
9) "A Bit about Bees" Peter L Borst, NEW!
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The Entomological Society of America has approved a new Pollinator Health Position Statement:
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Great How-to videos from the University of Guelph Honey Bee Research Centre
NEW Videos added!
Queens, mite checks, bear fencing, etc.
to provide new and advanced beekeepers with demonstrations by our staff on a variety of topics ranging from how to open a hive to queen rearing.
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