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Iowa Honey Producers Association |
The Buzz Newsletter January 2006 |
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2005 Bee and Honey Inquiry Dear Honey Producer: There are unique issues and challenges facing today’s honey operations. What can you do to address these challenges? How can you have more control of the future of your industry? USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) can help by providing quality data for decision-making. The need for actual, reliable bee and honey data is greater than ever. You, the honey producer, are the only source of this essential data. Having quality information enables the USDA and the honey industry to be more responsive to the American public, increase consumer understanding and awareness, and establish an appreciation for the safety and health benefits of U.S. honey. NASS is asking you to participate in the December 2005 Bee and Honey Inquiry. This survey provides important data on bee and honey inventories and value of production. Response to this survey is voluntary and not required by law, but your response is important to ensure reliable honey production and price estimates. Individual reports are kept confidential. Data collection has already begun. You may have already received your questionnaire in the mail. Data will be collected until February 1, 2006. Results of this survey will be published on February 28, 2006. You can receive this report by mail or by accessing http://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/index.asp.
Respectfully, Vernon Rhodes
IHPA Board Meeting of The IHP board of Directors met Dec 10th in Des Moines. Offering liability insurance to beekeepers through the Association was discussed. This was examined several years ago but we are going to take another look at it. Bee inspection was also discussed. The state is not planning to do inspections on beekeepers with less than 50 colonies. It’s possible the IHP may set up a mentoring system which will make people available to help other members solve problems. Donna Brahms and Pat Ennis are going to set up a committee to meet with the state to see if we can facilitate this option. Gordon Powell is going to head up a committee to determine the distribution of the hurricane relief funds that were designated at the annual meeting. A youth mentoring system was also discussed. In this scenario, the IHP would provide bees and equipment or financial support to beginning beekeepers. It was decided board members should contact their local FFA chapters to see if there is any local interest in this. Initially, this would be a pilot program with one or two participants. The feasibility of producing a disease control video was discussed. With inspections on the decrease, the IHP needs to find an effective way to get information to beekeepers on how to monitor disease and mite levels. If this video is produced it will be distributed free to beekeeping groups but sold on an individual basis with a discount available to IHP members. Alex Ebert will prepare a plan for video production and it will be discussed at the January meeting. An electronic system for registering beehives may be in place by spring. Gale Urquhart is working with Becky Ohrtman on this. Gale is also heading up work on a new beekeepers directory. Progress is being made on this. Comments on the annual meeting were for the most part positive. The biggest complaint was that people didn’t know what the program was going to be far enough in advance. A new program planner should solve this problem. We also need to improve the quality of the summer meeting. Attendance and the quality of the program have dwindled the last few years. The next meeting is scheduled for January 21st.
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