Florida beekeepers and anyone else

[pdmattox]

A reprint of the email from Mr. Sanford

Dear Folks,

The Association conducted its first Board of Manager's meeting by telephone conference call on 30 January 2007.  By all accounts, it was a good experience and there was excellent attendance.  The Association funded two research proposals and discussed plans for the June 9, 2007 meeting in Clay County and membership concerns.  See minutes at "Minutes" < http://floridabeekeepers.org>.

I have returned from a workshop in Stuart, Florida on Colony Collapse Disorder, (CCD)  which met in conjunction with the USDA's NP 305 deliberations concerning what's in store for the bee labs in the next five years < http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/programs/programs.htm?NP_CODE=305 >.  Look for reports on both these meetings in the journals and elsewhere.  CCD reports have appeared at <http://maarec.org >; because of the complexity of the problem all beekeepers, whether affected or not are asked to provide information at < http://beealert.blackfoot.net/~beealert/surveys/index.php> and refer the press to < http://aginfo.psu.edu/news/07Jan/HoneyBees.htm> when there are inquiries.

From: "Vernon Gwaltney" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Tupelo Beekeepers Association  Panama City, Fla.

Our regular  Monthly meeting was held Tuesday  Feb. 13,  2007,  7:00 pm at the Florida Extension Service in Panama City,
The meeting was called to order by our Vice President Ricky Stockton.   Reno Plenge was in Tampa at this time for the Fair.
We had 24 in attendance for this meeting.   We had a lot of interest due to FDA regulations for Florida Beekeepers.  Bill Merritt came and spoke to us on this topic.
There also was a lot of discussion on the problem of everyone losing their bees and not really understanding why.  They are all working desperately to build those hives  back up before the season starts.
We were reminded of the legislative meeting in Tallahassee, in March.   We want beekeepers to attend.
We plan to have someone speak from the Florida Farm Bureau at a meeting before long. 

Vernon Gwaltney
Secretary/Treasurer

Clay County Extension in conjunction with the Northeast Florida Honey Bee Association, FDACS and IFAS will hold a short course on 17 March 2007 (registration open until 13 March).  It will feature Dr. Dewey Caron, one of the nation's most respected apicultural professors, as well as Dr. Jamie Ellis at the U. of Florida and others.  Send a check for $25 per person ($30 per couple) made out to Clay County 4-H Foundation/BeeSC to box 278, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043-0278.  For more information, contact Clay County Extension, ph 904-283-6355.

The Northeast Florida Honey Bee Association is also going to sponsor the Florida State Beekeepers Association's spring meeting June 9, 2007 in Clay County.  Mark your calendar.  President Elmore Herman will be sending out news about this event soon.

State Fair doings: my reports from the field reveal that Treasurer Bert Kelley did another phenomenal job organizing events at last month's state fair in Tampa.  This included organizing volunteers to man the booth and other activities.  I would appreciate a report from folks that attended for the next paper newsletter due out this month.

Lost Life Members:  I continue to lose track of life members when I mail out the newsletter.  Anybody with news about the following whose newsletters were returned and for which I have no phone numbers , please get back with me:  Karlton Knorr, Mt. Dora, FL; Albert Rickenback, Bonita Springs, FL; Leon George Conover II, Jacksonville, FL.

Membership Issues:  I am in the process of purging my list of active members who are arrears in dues; this represents one-third of my list and will save the Association a good deal of money in the next printing.  Please take a look at the address on your newsletter and renew your membership either at your local association, via the form in the newsletter or at the "member" button at < http://floridabeekeepers.org>.

Membership continues to be on the minds of everyone as it appears to be slipping.  I would appreciate any of your opinions on what membership in the association means to you.  Why you would or wouldn't join.  What can the Association do to encourage membership?  The Eastern Apicultural Society is going through the process of choosing a new chairman and the nominees have developed ideas, which I have mounted at < http://home.earthlink.net/~beeactor/fsba/htm/shared%20vision%20statement.htm >.

Send thoughts to me or the leadership found at < http://floridabeekeepers.org>.

Malcolm T. Sanford
Executive Secretary
352-336-9744
http://apis.shorturl.com

[Understudy]

I received this letter today also.

Sincerely,
Brendhan