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Make your donation to Project Apis m. securely with PayPal or mail to:
Project Apis m. 6775 Chardonnay Road Paso Robles, CA 93446
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Growers Team with PAm
"Seeds for Bees" Project
Nearly 3,000 Acres of Forage for Honey Bees
PAm has shipped seed mixes to almond growers throughout the Central Valley to provide bees with the necessary food resources prior to and after almond bloom. The 2014 "Seeds for Bees" honey bee forage project has ended for this year. Thank you to all of our grower cooperators! We learn from you. Keep notes on when you sowed, germinating rains, bloom emergence and duration. Take pictures and let us know how your beekeeper took advantage of the forage you provided.
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2015 CSBA President
Brad Pankratz
The hive tool was passed from Bill Lewis to Brad Pankratz
at the 2014 California State Beekeepers Association Convention in Valencia, CA. PAm had an outreach and educational table. Executive Directive, Christi Heintz, was a speaker, as well as PAm Chairman, Dr. Gordy Wardell, board members, Gene Brandi, Brent Barkman and John Miller, scientific advisors, Dr. Eric Mussen and Randy Oliver. Next year's convention will be held at the Hilton Sacramento Arden West, November 17-19th.
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Almond Board Conference
Stop by and Visit!
PAm will be at the Almond Board Conference in Sacramento, December 9 - 11th.
We will be in the exhibit hall, Booth #77, to sign-up landowners for the 2015 'Seeds for Bees' honey bee forage project, as well as talking to growers about BMPs in the orchard to protect honey bees.
Christi Heintz and Dr. Gordy Wardell, PAm, will be speakers.
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The National Honey Bee Conferences Are Just Around the Corner...January 6-10th
Join us on Thursday, January 8th for the offsite joint activity with both the ABF & AHPA. We will board buses at noon to tour the Sioux Honey Association's processing plant. There will be refreshments and socializing before and after the tour hosted by Sioux Honey Association.
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Pollination Contract
Do you have a contract in place for 2015? A signed contract protects both the grower and the beekeeper. A template can be accessed on the PAm website here. Don't delay!
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Bee Buffer Project
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If you are a resident of CA or NC and a landowner able to plant 0.25 to 3 acres of forage habitat, click on the logo for more information!
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BEE on Our Supporters' Page!
Make your donation to Project Apis m. today!
Help Us Help the Honey Bee!
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Together We Can Help the Honey Bee
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With your help, Project Apis m. can continue its mission of enhancing the health of honey bees while ensuring a food supply of veggies, nuts and fruits that keep us healthy! Protecting this precious pollinator is what our non-profit does. Why us? This is just some of what PAm has done for beekeepers:
- Funded honey bee researchers throughout the United States and the UK
- Infused $3M into honey bee research
- Convinced landowners to provide forage for honey bees with nearly 3,000 acres sowed in 2014
- Awarded a 3-year PhD scholarship to a student studying honey bee health
- Funded tech transfer teams throughout the United States to assist beekeepers with Varroa and viral loads in their colonies
- Funded a germplasm repository for the preservation of honey bee genetic stock
- Improved California border stations with water hosebibs to keep honey bees cool and hydrated
- Developed Best Management Practices for beekeepers and growers
- Purchased equipment to test for honey bee mating success for queen breeders
- Funded research that determined if bee-safe insecticides were really safe for honey bees
- Provided input on Federal Strategy for pollinators
- Maintained a strong voice in advocating for the honey bee industry
Project Apis m. focuses on real-time, practical solutions for beekeepers. With your support, we can continue working for you! Make a donation to PAm 'bee-fore' December 31st. You can mail your check or donate securely online at www.ProjectApism.org. Thank you and have a safe and happy holiday from the PAm board, staff and scientific advisors.
Meg Ribotto, Editor
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CSBA 2014 Pollination Survey Results
Projected vs. Actual Almond Pollination Fees
Year Projected Actual Difference
2012 $154.74 $153.42 - $1.32
2013 $154.03 $157.31 $3.28
2014 $168.13 $177.71 $9.58
Average Projected 2015 Almond Pollination Fee:
$184.51
For the complete crop pollination survey results, visit the PAm BMP tab under Business Management here.
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PAm Letter to U.S. Secretary of Ag and EPA
Project Apis m. has been an active voice for beekeepers and the beekeeping industry nationally. PAm provided comments to USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack and EPA Regina McCarthy on the development of a federal strategy to protect honey bees and other pollinators. Summarized below are what PAm sees as the top four priorities:
- Varroa Control: Varroa destructor continues to be the primary pest of the European honey bee. Efforts should be concentrated on developing biological controls for this pest.
- Development of Honey Bee Forage: Honey bee health is a land use issue. More acreage needs to be set aside for pollinator habitat. Geographical areas of concentration should be in California and the Northern Prairie region. Cost-effective, drought-tolerant bee-friendly plant species should be developed.
- Pesticides: Currently registered grower-applied pesticides, particularly those suspected of harming bees or found in hive-matrices, should be re-assesed with priority given to fungicides and Insect Growth Regulators (IRGs) which honey bees are most likely to encounter when providing pollination services.
- Policy: Federal agencies should consult directly with beekeepers and honey bee experts on programs intended to help honey bees. They are a unique species with specific needs, while at the same time they are unique contributors to our food supply.
Read the PAm letter in its entirety here and our work toward a healthier bee population.
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2014 CSBA Distinguished Service Award
Director of Pollination Programs for Project Apis m, Meg Ribotto, was the recipient of the California State Beekeepers Dr. Eric Mussen Distinguished Service Award at their 125th Annual Convention in Valencia, CA. In 2010, Meg launched the first comprehensive Best Management Practices program for honey bees. This was followed by the initiation of the "Seed for Bees" project to build better bee health through improved nutrition. Using a combination of traditional and social media and by personally working with landowners, Meg put 2,500 acres of seed in the ground for bee habitat in 2013. Her efforts this year produced nearly 3,000 acres of bee forage. Total plantings for these two years exceed $.25 million in seed to help honey bees. Meg is editor of the California Bee Times, the PAm enewsletter and Almond Facts Bee Box. She is well-deserving of this Distinguished Service Award!
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Planting a Cover Crop - For the Grower!
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The grower benefits of planting a honey bee cover crop. 4:00 minutes
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BMPs for Growers & Pesticide Applicators
 With input from Project Apis m., the Almond Board of CA has released a set of Honey Bee Best Management Practices (BMPs) for the almond industry. BMPs can be accessed here.
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December Bee Husbandry
Beekeeper's Goal: Strong 8+ frame colonies by February 1st for pollination services.
- Continue supplemental feeding and hydration
- Order packages, nucs and queens for coming year
- Secure a pollination contract to protect both grower and beekeeper
- Determine pollination fees that are realistic relative to your operation costs
- Develop contingency plans for the unexpected
- Read past year's records and prepare for the coming year
- Attend national and regional bee meetings
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Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities
Do you like what PAm is doing? How can your corporation or business help the honey bee? You can become involved in the vital pursuit of improving honey bee health and productivity for improved crop pollination and in increasing U.S. honey production.
Project Apis m. has the experience in developing partnerships within your corporate environmental stewardship and sustainability program. A sustainable supply of bees equates to a sustainable food supply.
We can help you plant the seeds for a corporate responsibility program that involves honey bees. Contact Christi Heintz. To learn more, click here.
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