The Buzz Newsletter

May 2007

 

 

Page 3

Greetings from the President of the IHPA

Dear Honey Producers,
A major expletive is on the tip of my tongue! Our computer got a virus recently. I am frantically trying to get the files off of it that I need before it quits altogether. It runs for a while and then freezes up. I guess it is just like the weather that we have been having in Iowa. Boy, it was cold in the first part of April. As if we haven’t had enough weather and trouble with our honey bees, we just needed some more. I hope if you had gotten packages or queens during that cold spell, that you were able to get them installed before everyone got too cold.

I have been extremely busy with IHPA business phone calls, e-mails and letters this past month. I told you that last month Mike and I talked to our legislative representatives at a local coffee and it must have been a productive meeting. I received several responses from the e-mails that I sent to the Agriculture committee and the Appropriations committee members in both the house and senate. The response was very favorable. Representative Clel Baudler has submitted an amendment to the Agricultural Budget asking that the money for a State Apiarist is added to the budget. We are working with them concerning that. (Note: A state apiarist was included in the original budget submitted by Secretary Northey, but was removed by the Governor, we are asking that it be returned to the budget as presented by IDALS.)

The American Beekeeping Federation and the American Honey Producers Association have also asked that I contact the Iowa Senators concerning the Colony Collapse Disorder to procure funding for the research labs, research for CCD and to get disaster payments for the devastating losses of honey bees. Besides using e-mail to do so, I also called Washington D.C. to ask that they sign a letter prepared by Senator Baucus from Montana to present to Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns. I also attended an Agricultural hearing held in Council Bluffs at Iowa Western Community College sponsored by Senator Harkin and also attended by Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska. I testified on behalf of the beekeeping industry asking for support for the beekeeping industry through legislation as presented in the letter from Senator Baucus.

I traveled to Des Moines to meet with Maury Wills and the state bee inspectors since our last letter. We are asking all members to contact the inspectors to verify that you are suspecting CCD so that we have the documentation and information when we do get a state apiarist to work with the information. Someone asked me why we want one back since most states are also eliminating the Apiarist position. My response would be, just because the other states are doing it, is it the right thing to do? Look at the situation we are facing now, how do we get all the necessary information and who can take all the calls concerning questions that are arising from CCD. I enjoy the contacts, but I can’t always just drop what I am doing to help everyone. I am trying to pass the requests to other board members, but sometimes we just don’t know what to do to help. Not all of the requests are from IHPA members. Remember that the website can be accessed by anyone. We are getting quite a few requests from non-members. I do ask them to join, but they are not always interested. I don’t think that I should ask them if they are members first before I answer them. I am just saying that a state apiarist would help the information process and would free up the IHPA board to work on IHPA business.

I am still getting lots of calls concerning the CCD problem. I just wish that the newspapers and radio stations would quote the important things that we say instead of what they think the important comment is. At least the beekeeping industry is getting some television, newspaper and radio time. People I don’t even know are stopping me to ask about the situation. At least people are thinking of honey bees right now. A gentleman at the senior center where I work asked me if I had heard the radio story that claimed that the problem with the honey bees is that a German research project is suggesting the problem is cell phone transmissions. The transmissions are preventing the honey bees from returning to the hive. I just don’t know what the problem is, I just hope we get it solved even if it is beekeeper management.

Let’s hope the weather is going to straighten up and we can get all the outdoor things done that we need to. I hope the flowering trees and bushes will survive and we will have a fruit crop and that there are enough honey bees in the state to do the pollination work. Remember American Agriculture Depends on the Beekeeping Industry.

Sincerely,

Donna Brahms, IHPA President

Southwest Iowa Honey
Producers Meet

The Southwest Iowa Honey Producers met in Atlantic at the Feedlot Steakhouse and Lounge on Saturday evening, April 14th. The members had a great meal and spent time discussing issues facing beekeepers. SW Iowa Honey Queen, Diane Jurchen joined us and told of her activities. Donna reported that Hy-Vee in Atlantic is doing an Agricultural promotion the end of April and wants honey and beekeeping facts to present to the public. Diane will hand out samples of honey and answer questions.