Category: Past Front Page Box Archive

July Meeting – 2019 NO REGULAR MEETING DUE TO CLUB FIELD DAY JULY 13th

The 2019 GGLBA Annual Field Day and Potluck lunch Saturday July 13th Mercer County Sportsman Association.

August meeting – 2019 NO NORMAL MEETING TUESDAY EVENING DUE TO FAIR MONTH

Several members will be presenting at the Auglaize County Fair in the 4H building on Tuesday July 30th at 6pm. Please feel welcome to attend the event.

Washington State Beekeepers Now Protected from Civil Liability

Gov. Inslee signs House Bill No. 1133, May 7, 2019. Relating to limiting liability for registered apiarists. Primary Sponsor: Strom Peterson

May 7, 2019, Olympia, WA: Today Governor Jay Inslee signed into law a bill which grants liability protection to beekeepers. House Bill 1133 passed the House by a vote of 96-0 and passed the Senate by a vote of 47-1.

The new law grants protection from civil liability to beekeepers who register with the state Department of Agriculture as beekeepers and who abide by all city, town, or county ordinances regarding beekeeping. These rules usually relate to the placement of hives or how many hives can be hosted per square foot or per acre. A beekeeper would not be protected if it is determined that the beekeeper acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct. 

The idea for the bill came from a Puget Sound beekeeper who suggested beekeepers should have some liability protection under law. The Washington State Beekeepers Association (WASBA) legislative team researched the topic and found Virginia and West Virginia have laws limiting beekeeper liability, but their laws require observing a large list of rules written by their state departments of agriculture. “We felt Washington beekeeping is so diverse, from folks who have one hive in their backyard to those who operate commercially with thousands, that no single set of rules could properly regulate all the beekeepers” said Tim Hiatt, WASBA legislative chair. “So we pushed for and achieved a law that says beekeeping, on the face of it, is protected from liability, under certain reasonable circumstances.”

Beekeeping is protected in agricultural areas under the state’s right-to-farm law (RCW 7.48.305) only as far as such activities are “reasonable” and not a “nuisance” or to cause “substantial adverse effect” on the public. The standard for beekeepers under the new law is that their beekeeping may not constitute “gross negligence or willful misconduct.” The new law will appear in RCW 15.60.

“This success represents two years of grassroots efforts from the beekeepers of Washington state,” said Hiatt. “They are to be congratulated for their advocacy on behalf of bees and beekeepers. And they can now rest assured from the threat of lawsuits.” The law, as signed by the Governor, can be found at http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2019-20/Pdf/Bills/House%20Passed%20Legislature/1133.PL.pdf

GGLBA promoting beekeeping in the community:

Mike Doseck recently spoke about beekeeping at the “Gardeners Swap and Share” event at the St. Marys Community Public Library May 8th.

GGLBA members are active in promoting beekeeping in the community:

Ty Shelby gave a beekeeping presentation to the Primrose Retirement Community in Findlay May 8th.

Great job, Ty!

4-H OSBA TCBA Beekeeping for Beginners

Mike Doseck interviews James Barnhart 2016 Clock Trophy for beekeeping winner at the Ohio State Fair from Carroll County Tri County Beekeepers Association and Kayla Lennartz 2016 Ohio State Fair finalist as well as 2018 Clock Trophy for beekeeping winner from Mercer County Greater Grand Lake Beekeepers Association. The purpose of this video was for young 4H students to view and offer encouragement to pursue beekeeping as a project.

A couple brave club members will be hosting a beginner mead making class for members March 16th.  For more information or to see if there is still room please either contact Ty Shelby @ 419-236-3743 or e-mail: tshelby101@gmail.com

Join us at the Saint Mary’s Community Library on Tuesday, May 14th, from 7-9pm.  Everyone’s welcome!

The guest speaker this month will be Alex Zomchek from Miami University in Oxford. Alex  Zomchek is a honey bee researcher at Miami University’s Ecology Research Center located in Oxford, OH (the birthplace of Langstroth’s modern, movable frame beehive).  He is a lifelong beekeeper and aside from teaching and research, he is an active lecturer and public speaker, and recent recipient of the Eastern Apicultural Society North America’s Divelbiss Award for outstanding apiculture contributions.  Alex will cover; Honey bees are ancient, elegant stimulus-response bundles.  Understanding just a few simple anatomy and physiology features not only answers a few of those nagging “Why do they do that?” questions; but will also make you a better beekeeper.  We will discuss the hows and whys of under mating; bee feet and small hive beetle; bee fat and hot/cold regulation together with a new use for car windshield reflectors; bee life spans – making the right age bees for the right times; bee casts and their role in pests and diseases management; and more.