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View and/or Download Guidelines (pdf)                  Read the story in the Orlando Sentinel

Small-scale beekeepers (sales less than $15,000 a year) can now bottle and sell honey without permits and without bottling in a Department of Agriculture-inspected kitchen.

West Virginia became the first state in the nation to pass a Beekeeper's Immunity Law which limits the liability of apiary owners and operators.

 West Virginia's HB4527

Per Dan O'Hanlon (Legislative Chair of West Virginia Beekeepers Association):  "It passed our House 94-2 and our Senate 34-0. The final version of the bill is attached. Many thanks to the bill's sponsors and the many others in both chambers who helped out. The bill was made effective on passage. I will be explaining it at the WV Beekeeper's Spring Meeting in Huntington April 10th.  HOORAY!!!! "

BRING ON THE BEES

New York Times announced March 16, 2010:  "New York City's board of health voted Tuesday to lift a ban against beekeeping, legalizing the hives of hundreds of residents who have tended bees in defiance of the law.

The unanimous vote amends the health code to allow residents to keep hives of Apis mellifera, the common, nonaggressive honeybee. Beekeepers will be required to register with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and to adhere to appropriate practices. That means they must be able to control bee swarms and ensure that the hives do not interfere with pedestrians or neighbors."

Read the rest of the NY TIMES story at BRING ON THE BEES:

Beekeepers are now officially FARMERS and protected under HB 7215 Passed (signed by Governor 6-23-11) providing penalties for the theft of bee colonies of registered beekeepers; redefining the term "farmer" to include a person who grows or produces honey; redefining the term "farm theft" to include the unlawful taking possession of equipment and associated materials used to grow or produce certain farm products.

  VIEW BILL

Beekeepers Association of Southwest Florida can use your help.  Please DONATE to support our group's efforts.
 We are a now a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization and your donations are tax deductible!:

 Notice:  You do NOT have to be a member of PayPal (or sign up) to use your credit card to donate, simply look during the donation process for the section "Don't have a PayPal account? and click continue.

This document was created on 1/09/08, rev. 07/10/12
©2008 Denrig, Inc., All rights reserved.

How do I join Beekeepers Association of Southwest Florida (BASF)?  Attend one of our meetings and pay applicable dues to our Treasurer, or you can DOWNLOAD an application for membership, and mail it to our treasurer along with applicable dues.  Currently $10 for current year if you are already a member of the Florida State Beekeepers Association (FSBA).  If you are not a member of FSBA then we can collect membership dues for FSBA as well, in which case the total amount would be $25 ($10 BASF + $15 FSBA).