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State Apiarist Andrew Joseph

Hello to all of you. I appreciate this first opportunity to write for The Buzz.

I have just started here as the Iowa State Apiarist. Maury Wills has been holding the apiarist's duties in addition to his other full-time responsibilities for several years now -- ever since the SA position was eliminated in 2001. As of the 22nd of last month, the State Apiarist position has been reinstated and I have been fortunate to have been given this opportunity to serve the beekeepers and beekeeping industry in this state. I never could have guessed when first starting out with an interest in bees and a couple hives of bees that my life, career, and family would become so entwined with these insects and the people who keep them.

State Apiarist Andrew Joseph and his wife Catherine

My wife, Catherine, and I have moved here from Kentucky where she managed a bookstore and I worked towards an MS in Entomology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. There, I was an active member of beekeeping organizations on local, state, and multistate levels. My research at UK focused on bees as pollinators in monoculture – looking at the role of nectar foraging in relation to overall foraging activity and, ultimately, plant pollination. In addition to the research, I have taken care of Kentucky State University and University of Kentucky’s bees and managed the annual honey sales.

We're all still hammering out the details of how my time here will be divided but splitting it into thirds might be ideal. One third in regulatory work, apiary registration and inspection in coordination with the three Inspectors, diagnostic testing for disease and mite treatment resistances, etc.; One third in beekeeper-course, meeting, and board participation in addition to in-office work such as composing an Iowa Apiary Inspector Manual, up-to-date factsheets, future articles for The Buzz and other publications; and, finally, one third in public (non-beekeeper) outreach on bees, beekeeping, and pollination / agricultural ecology. And, overall, service as something of a central figure / contact point for beekeepers across the state.

It is a real honor and pleasure to be here. Thank you again.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me:

Phone: (515) 725-1481
Email:
andrew.joseph@iowaagriculture.gov

Address:
State Apiarist
Entomology & Plant Science Bureau
Iowa Laboratory Facility
2230 South Ankeny Blvd
Ankeny, IA 50023

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Andrew Joseph and his wife Catherine arrived in Iowa to assume the duties of Iowa State Apiarist on February 22nd. Andy's office is located at the Ankeny DMACC College Campus in the Entomology Department as part of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Andy has access to the lab facilities located on the DMACC campus which is a very welcome addition to the Apiary Bureau. The photo of Andy and Cathy was taken at the Central Iowa Beekeepers meeting held on March 15th in Des Moines. Andy has been making trips to the various local beekeeping clubs in Iowa to get acquainted with Iowa beekeepers. Please contact Andy if you need assistance or have questions.