The Buzz Newsletter

April 2007

 

 

Page 7

Legislative Request to
Iowa Beekeepers

Many of you have experienced trouble with your hives or have read about the many disorders and problems facing the beekeeping industry. We as a group need to get the information to our elected officials. The new Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been in the news lately. It has started people asking more questions about honey bees and what the effect is going to be in Iowa. Due to the fact that Iowa beekeepers don’t have a State Apiarist or a representative in the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) any longer, we need to do that job ourselves. Iowa is not being mentioned as being a state with problems. Why are we not mentioned? It is because we don’t have a voice in IDALS and no one is available to collect data and pass it on to other organizations or to get something done such as more money for research, etc.

Mike and I spent the morning at a legislative coffee in Cumberland talking to three elected officials and the public about the needs of the Iowa Honey Producers. It takes all of us to work at this. We did find out that IDALS is receiving more appropriations this year, so we need to emphasize the fact that we need and active, working Apiary Department.

Please consider helping by contacting your elected officials in Des Moines. Many of you know whom your State Representative or Senator is. Contact them on behalf of the Iowa beekeepers and tell them of the need for a State Apiarist in IDALS. We don’t need a part-time person, we need a full time position filled. If you aren’t sure who your representative is go to the internet and put in Iowa Legislature in the search engine and a list will come up. You can use it for committee listings or for Senate or House listings.

Information concerning the facts and figures of Iowa beekeepers is available at the IHPA website, www.ABuzzAboutBees.com or you can contact me directly to get this information. I am adding some information that the IHPA is requesting for the Apiary Department. We would like a fully funded Apiary Department within IDALS. Here is the proposal:

Iowa Honey Producers Association
Proposal for the Apiary Bureau
February 2007

We feel that around $120,000.00 per year would fund an apiary department. Mr. Bob Cox, the last Iowa State Apiarist, was making about $45,000.00 per year in 2001 when he was terminated. Add a 5% increase to that figure per year and a salary of just over $59,000.00 per year isn’t extravagant for a qualified person with a doctorate degree to serve as state apiarist. The person has to put in long hours and a fair amount of travel is necessary during the summer to see that all of the inspections are done and to meet the educational side of the job. The state apiarist also visits schools and other groups that may request the apiarist to come and speak.

Questions on honey bees and beekeeping are directed to the State Apiarist and apiary registration is necessary to protect beekeepers from pesticide spraying. The State Apiarist also educates and supervises the state inspectors.
The part-time inspectors have been getting by on a shoestring budget for the past five years. There are usually around 900 hours that any one inspector can use in the fiscal year. They earn around $15.00 per hour, so that would calculate out to $41,500.00 for inspectors.

The bare bones amount would be $99,500.00. An additional amount of money would be needed for the apiarist to perform the duties of State Apiarist. This money would be used for materials, reference books and periodicals such as American Bee Journal and Bee Culture, meetings to keep current on research and other necessary items that have been misplaced or thrown away.

When you factor in all of the incidentals, a budget of $120,000.00 for an Apiary Department is not out of line and yet is not wasteful of the taxpayer’s money either.

Please help out your organization and your industry by contacting your elected officials. I intend to do a vast emailing campaign.

Submitted by Donna Brahms
IHPA President

Mite Treatment Approvals

CheckMite+ has received Section 18 approval for use in Iowa.

For Use Only Under Section 18 Authorization. For Control of Varroa Mites and Small Hive Beetles in Honeybee Colonies. For use only as authorized in IOWA by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under section 18 of F.I.F.R.A. This labeling must be in the possession of the user at the time of application. This labeling expires February 1, 2008.

Also, API LIFE VAR (active ingredient:Thymol) and APIGUARD (active ingredient: Thymol) are both now under full EPA registration so a section 18 is no longer required for these products.

Submitted by Chuck Eckermann