CSBA NewsletterFebruary 2014
CSBA Officers
President
William Lewis
Lake View Terrace
1st Vice President
Brad Pankratz
Orland
2nd Vice President
Dion Ashurst 
El Centro
Secretary/Treasurer
Carlen Jupe
Salida
Past President
John Miller
Newcastle
Executive Committee
Brent Ashurst
Brawley
Steve Godlin
Visalia
Russell Heitkam
Orland
Buzz Landon
Richvale
Larry Lima
Dos Palos
ABF Delegates
Mike Harrel
Concord
Orin Johnson
Hughson
Bob Miller
Watsonville
New Committee Chairs
Nominating: John Miller
Newcastle
Public Lands: Mike Harrel
Concord
Publicity: Amy Cripps 
Costa Mesa
Research: Alan Henninger
San Jose
Ladies Auxiliary

"Like" our Facebook page 
"Like" us and keep up with our pictures and plans.

President

Melinda Nelson
Vice President 

Amanda Wooten
Secretary/Treasurer
Ila Hohman
Historian

 Nora Slater
Parliamentarian
Sandy Tabako 

Mark Your Calender!
California Ag Day 
March 19, 2014
CSBA will once again participate in Ag Day at the Capitol. Volunteers will be much appreciated! The event is from 10:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Contact Carlen Jupe at castatebeekeepers@hotmail.com
To learn more about Ag Day and watch a video from last year's event, click here.
Articles With Links
Growing Produce

National Geographic
The Los Angeles Times
Western Farm Press

Committee Reports
The CSBA helped sponsor Sarah Red- Laird (The Bee Girl) to attend the Pheasants Forever Conference to help represent beekeeping interests. CSBA President, Bill Lewis, also attended.
Legislative Committee Report
 
In the Legislative Committee's Board Report, Holly Frumeni, CSBA lobbyist, is in talks with CA Fish & Wildlife about a pilot program to expedite short- term bear hunting permits, as bear attacks are on the increase.
Public Lands Chairman Report
 
Public Lands Chairman, Mike Harrel is working to create land-use expectation brochures. The CSBA has joined the California Council of Land Trusts as a Steward-Level Individual Supporter.  CSBA will also be attending and presenting at the CCLT convention March 4 - 6th.
Available Now!!! 
Fresh, Clean U.S. Bee Feed Pollen

By the Drum (~333lbs): $7.00 / lb
30lb Boxes: $8.00 / lb
 
FOB Woodland, CA 95776
(530) 668-0660
tasty@zspecialtyfood.com
Ask for Ishai or Josh
The California Bee Breeders Association
is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to any convictions for stealing bee colonies. 
Since the CSBA already offers a $10,000 reward for the same thing, it would be possible for someone to collect $15,000 from the two groups under appropriate circumstances. 
CSBA Sponsors








 

 











 
CSBA Affiliated Clubs
 
Santa Maria Valley Beekeepers Association
Shasta Beekeepers Association
 
Click on a beekeeping club to visit their homepage
Greetings!

Bill Lewis, CSBA President
The President's Word
 
I hope everyone is as fortunate as myself to have rented all my bees to almond growers.  I delivered my bees last week to the orchards leaving only one wimpy colony at home.  I got to work with my bees yesterday in the orchards.  At most locations, tips of the trees were barely starting to bloom.  At one location, near Lerdo and I-5, there must have been close to 30% bloom and the orchard was alive with the buzz. That sound still amazes me and it is fun to have lunch sitting between the almond rows in the dirt.  This is going to be one unusual year with almond bloom coming early, lack of water (I am envious of those in Northern CA who recently got several inches of rain).  I have seen some big older orchards being ripped out, but also plenty of new orchards put in as well.  I am optimistic that the demand for our bees will remain strong despite what appears may be a slight dip in demand this season.

 

I am fortunate to have good help at home to keep everything running while I jet off to Milwaukee, WI to attend the "National Pheasant Fest" and to support wildlife and honey bee forage.  I have met so many interesting people through bees and this event promises to be another one of those.  I connected with Anna Kettlewell who is Director of the American Honey Queen Program (1999 American Honey Queen) and she took the ball and lined up at least 12 volunteers, including the current WI Honey Queen and the President of the WI Beekeepers Association, to help staff the bee table over the 3-day show in the Wildlife Pollinator section of the Youth Village at Pheasant Fest.  Mike Laforge, current manager of the Dadant store in Watertown, WI chipped in to loan a large carload of beekeeping equipment to be used for the display.  I am hoping to develop more fruitful relationships with Pheasants Forever (nationwide organization) and others in our pursuit of more bee forage.

 

In March, I will meet with legislators at the CA Farm Bureau in Sacramento. I am also continuing to line up interesting speakers for our convention next November, which seems like a long way off, but there is much to do.

 

Let's make the best of our strange and unusual CA weather.

 

Bill Lewis, CSBA President

Participates in Pollinator Working Group at CDFA

 

The goal at the February 19th CA Dept of Food & Ag (CDFA) meeting was "to have a frank and open discussion with industry, government and NGO's on pollinators", according to Duane Schnabel, Branch Chief. Updates included the Apiary Board, Bayer Bee Care Tour, Border Stations, Pollinator Protection Labeling and Exotic Pests.

 

As part of PAm's outreach and education, the CA Border Inspection Stations are a focus of BMPs for beekeepers. Christi Heintz and Meg Ribotto participated in the meeting and report as follows:

  • In 2012, there were 3,409 shipments to CA and 91% were found pest-free.

  • In 2013, there were 3,321 shipments and 94% were found pest-free

  • Delays are mainly due to weeds, RIFA and Small Hive Beetle

  • The average delay time for pest-infested shipments is 4 hours or less

  • 80% of the shipments are released within 12 hours

  • Processing time has improved with Wi-Fi technology and the purchase of new laptops and digital imaging equipment

  • There are 3 scientists at CDFA that make identifications

  • In addition to 3 scientists, there are staff specialists who identify 'novel' species

  • The border stations that process the most shipments are Yermo, Needles and Blythe

The importance of bee forage was also addressed. Since the Nov 6th meeting at the CA Farm Bureau, The CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife has been the most receptive agency in partnering with CSBA in providing beekeepers access to land use. CSBA will be invited to the 'planning process' meeting in which the CA Dept of Fish and Game, when it accepts new land, sets up grazing rights, conservation, etc and potentially apiary rights. This planning process is very straight forward and would be CDFA's pilot program. CSBA is fortunate to have Duane Schnabel as a liaison.

What Has Your CSBA Board Been Doing?
 

Probably the biggest news is that the Public Lands Committee is moving full steam ahead to create brochures for distribution to various land managers. These brochures specify expectations and ethical best management practices (BMPs) for beekeepers when maintaining apiaries on public and private lands. These BMPs were specified at the Nov.6th bee forage meeting held at the CFBF headquarters. Two prototypes of these brochures were emailed to CSBA members for comment shortly after the 1/24/14 board meeting and revised copies are already being featured at follow-up forage meetings.

 

The board has also discussed the severe drought and the impact it has had and is having, especially on West Side almond growers, who are cancelling their bee contracts because they can't get enough water to make a crop.

 

At its last November meeting, the board approved the Research Committee's recommendation of five research projects totaling $104,625.00. Projects by Dr. Dave Tarpy and Dr. Reed Johnson have been funded, the other three research projects are waiting for the return of routine paperwork prior to being funded.

 

It was noted that Apivar is no longer a restricted material and that the old Section 18 for Hopguard has been extended through December 2014. There will be a Section 3 on the new Hopguard formulation some time this year.  Dr. Eric Mussen says that it's better, but gooey, and don't wipe off the goo before using it because the goo has a lot of the active ingredient.

 

Finally, Amina Harris, UC Davis' Robert Mondavi Institute, is working on a Master Beekeeper Program for California. She will be doing the heavy lifting, but will be getting guidance from the CSBA.

CSBA is on Facebook!

Publicity Chair, Amy Cripps, has created a Facebook page for CSBA. You can "like" the CSBA Facebook page by clicking here. Once you are on the CSBA Facebook page, find the
"like" button and click it to be updated with quick announcements and updates from CSBA!  Also, bee sure to "share" the page!
It's Almond Bloom in the Valley!
 

Take a virtual field trip through California's almond orchards.  The
Blue Diamond Growers
website features scenes captured on location in the Sacramento Valley and the central and southern San Joaquin Valley. Click on the honey bee to see the latest conditions and crop status.
Project Apis m. Update
 
In January, PAm started the new year presenting and staffing booths at the national beekeeping conventions in Baton Rouge and San Antonio. February saw PAm buzzing into CA as guests of the Bayer Bee Care Tour pollinator health panel. The event, held at the Mondavi Institute, UC Davis, included interactive bee exhibits and honey tasting. Christi Heintz spoke on current research projects, commercial  beekeeping and almond pollination. Bayer is also partners with PAm on the 'Seeds for Bees' forage project with several forage test plots in Fresno. Also in February, PAm participated in CDFA's pollinator working group meeting (see above article).  March will find PAm in the almond orchard with the BIP tech transfer team that has followed commercial migratory beekeepers from the East via the southern migratory route.  PAm will host Costco reps that have made the funding possible for this tech team.  Another stop will be in Modesto to meet with the Almond Board's Bee Task Force.
The Launch of the International Bee Research Association (IBRA) BEEWORLD Project
 

The launch of the International Bee Research Association's (IBRA) BEEWORLD Project was January 30th at the Royal Hotelin, Cardiff, Wales. Sarah Red-Laird was among the speakers during the launch event. Her aim is to address the importance of local and international bee sustainability and the essential role outreach and education plays in this endeavor. The BEEWORLD program encourages teachers, schools and communities to have a greater understanding of bees and their importance to people and the planet. The program looks at the problems facing bees locally, as well as worldwide and searches for solutions. Pollination and sustainability are the core aspects of this new program. This unique project is designed to bring individuals of all ages and cultures together through a fascination of bees.