Beekeepers must register by June 29

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development Agri-News 

All Alberta beekeepers are required to register with the provincial apiculturist no later than June 29, 2014.


“If you are a registered beekeeper who only owns bees or only equipment, you have to register according to the Bee Act and Regulation,” says Medhat Nasr, provincial apiculturist, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Edmonton. “If you are a new beekeeper who registered recently, your registration will expire on June 29, 2014. You are required to resubmit a new registration for 2014/2015.”

All beekeepers are required to fill the registration form mailed to existing registered beekeepers. The following information must be provided to the provincial apiculturist:

• full name, address and telephone number
• the number of colonies of bees owned
• the number of apiaries owned by the applicant and the names of the municipalities in which they are located
• if the beekeeper has purchased live bees within the preceding 12 months or since the last registration, and, if so, the names of the persons who provided the bees

If you are a new beekeeper, contact Dr. Medhat Nasr (contact information below) and request a registration package.

On receipt of a complete application for registration, the provincial apiculturist will issue a certificate of registration to the beekeeper that is valid from the time it is issued to June 29th of the following year.

Contact:
Dr. Medhat Nasr
780-415-2314
Mailto: medhat.nasr@gov.ab.ca or bee@gov.ab.ca


Alberta Agriculture is once again conducting its annual honey bee winterkill and management survey.

“The honey bee winterkill and management survey is an important component in developing Alberta Apiculture surveillance system and best management practices,” says Medhat Nasr, provincial apiculturist, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Edmonton. “Results are also used to justify any emergency registration of new potential miticides or medications as needed.”

Nasr says it is impossible to justify the registration of any products to control honey bee pests without providing field data collected through this type of survey. “As such, replying to the 2014 survey is essential for the continuation of our program services and to keep healthy bees.”

The survey is being sent to all registered Alberta beekeepers. Completed surveys by commercial beekeepers who own 400 hives or more may be faxed or mailed to:

Bee Survey- Provincial Building
4705-49 Avenue
Stettler, Alberta
T0C 2L0
Fax: 403-742-7527

For the rest of beekeepers, fax or mail the survey to the Provincial Apiculturist office:

Alberta Provincial Apiculturist
Crop Diversification Centre North
17507 Fort Road NW
Edmonton, Alberta
T5Y 6H3
Fax: 780-422-6096

The deadline for submissions is June 29, 2014.