The North Carolina State Beekeepers Association

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Jessica Mjelde

Spring 2020 Message from the NCSBA President

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Beekeeping season is about to be in full swing and the Beekeepers of the NCSBA are getting excited! We are hearing reports that the honey flow already on for some of our members in the southern counties. The swarm lists are starting to get active so if you haven’t already got your supers dusted off – get ready!

Spring Meeting Notes

New Bern Convention Center

The 2020 Spring meeting in New Bern was a success. We had over 550 attendees and most of the feedback so far has been very positive. Look for information about the Summer meeting in the coming months.

BEES Academy Enrollment Extended

I know that some bee schools have been cancelled or postponed. To help beekeepers affected by this or for those that didn’t have a chance to enroll in a bee school, the NCSU apiculture program has extended enrollment for its online BEES Academy until March 25. Although the class has already started, there is plenty of time to catch up. Dr. Tarpy will be also be adding an additional Q&A session for those students beginning now. This is a great opportunity for some beekeeping training with NSCU’s Dr. Tarpy from the comfort of your home.
Learn More

Queen rearing Workshop

The Born and Bred Queen rearing Workshop is filling up fast. We announced it at the Spring meeting and as of this writing there are less than 40 spots left. It will be held in Pittsboro on May 9th. If you are considering attending, I would encourage you to register soon.

Check Your Mite Levels

Finally, I encourage you to monitor your mites if you aren’t already. I have heard from quite a few people that their mites numbers are higher than expected. The mild winter may have played a part in that.There is a good article available by NCSBA Master Beekeeper Randall Austin about the importance of monitoring mites.

Here’s to wishing you a happy, safe, and successful Spring!  

Take care,  

Paul Newbold President, NCSBA

Queen Rearing Workshop for May 9 Announced

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The NCSBA is offering a program of advanced beekeeper education in the field of queen rearing and colony management. The Born and Bred queen rearing workshops will be conducted with a curriculum of such substance that participants can effectively learn how to raise queens with the information presented and a degree of diligence on their part. Beekeepers of all levels will be able to gain an understanding of queen production that is controlled by the beekeeper and how environmental factors affect the behavior of the honey bee during queen production.

The daylong course will be offered in Pittsboro, NC on May 9, 2020. The cost is $75.00 per participant. Enrollment is limited and you must be an active member of the NCSBA in order to participate.

Register Now

You can find detailed information on Born and Bred page of our website.

Regards,  

Etienne Nadeau
NCSBA Born and Bred Program

Ed Speer Named New Certified Honey Producer Program Chair

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As chairman of this year’s NCSBA Certified Honey Producers Program (CHPP), I am excited and looking forward to being a part of such a worthy effort. I would like to thank Kenny Jones, the past chairman, for his pioneering efforts getting this great program up and running. All the best Kenny as you move on to greater things.
As a honey-producer myself, and long-time resident of the state, I envision this program as promoting the unique goodness of our local honeys, while also expanding our markets to new customers. Now could not be a better time for a program like CHPP. I hear many of my own customers lament the poor and often suspect honey choices available to them at the large retail stores and even at some farmers markets and roadside stands. But when they see the NCSBA CHPP stickers on my jars of honey, they find the assurance they are looking for: that they are buying real local honey from a trusted beekeeper certified by an established state-level organization.
I hope every NCSBA member who produces honey in North Carolina will consider joining the CHPP. An application form with membership requirements can be found on the NCSBA website. The $25 fee gets you a two-year membership. Once approved, you will receive a certificate, a Discover the Goodness license plate, an informative location pin on an interactive online map, and a sample of stickers to put on your honey jars—all included in your membership fee. Members can order more stickers when needed. Two-year renewal memberships are also $25.  
Only members of CHPP can use the certified stickers and/or get on the honey producers map; so join today!
Become an NCSBA Certified Honey Producer

Ed Speer

2020 Chairman NCSBA CHPP

Spring BEES Classes announced

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This spring, the NCSU Apiculture Program will be holding TWO different beekeeping trainings, one for beginners and one for intermediate beekeepers. 
 

Beginner online BEES school

Perfect for wanna-be beekeepers who couldn’t make their local bee school!

 
WHEN: March 4-25th
WHERE: Online Beekeeper Education & Engagement System (BEES)
HOW: Students will enroll in the ‘Beginner’ level BEES courses and learn the online content on their own time and at their own pace. Each Wednesday evening, we will hold virtual “office hours” with Dr. David Tarpy to discuss what you have learned and answer any lingering questions. An optional in-hive field day will be offered at the NCSU Lake Wheeler Honey Bee Research Facility in Raleigh on March 28th (rain date April 4). 
INFO: https://www.ncsuapiculture.net/online-beginner-bees-school

 

Intermediate BEES Academy

Great way to prepare for the MBP Journeyman exam!

 

WHEN: March 3-4th
WHERE: Craven County Extension Center, 300 Industrial Dr, New Bern, NC 28562
HOW: Two full days to immerse yourself in the theoretical and practical aspects of beekeeping. Mixture of both live and pre-taped videos from the Beekeeper Education & Engagement System (BEES) as well as hands-on activities. Numerous members of the NC State Apiculture Program will help you build upon your current knowledge of beekeeping by exploring a wide variety of topics. 
INFO: https://www.ncsuapiculture.net/bees-academy-home

2020 Spring Meeting Speakers Announced

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The spring meeting in New Bern will offer us a unique opportunity to hear what speakers have to say about the world of apiculture.  Dr. Judy Wu-Smart joins us from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.  Judy is well known in the industry and speaks on various topics including the effects of pesticides, hive health, and pollinators in general.  She is a force in beekeeping education and has worked with all the pillars of the beekeeping community.  For our traditionalists, we will have the America’s beekeeping professor, Dr. Dewey Caron.  Dewey has been working with bees, education, and research for over 50 years and is the author of “Beekeeping Biology” – a book all those working toward their master beekeeping certification will recognize.  Dewey will main-stage speak, offer a workshop, be available to sign and personalize his book, and discuss bees with you in person.  We will also have Leigh Kathryn Bonner, who founded Bee Downtown in an effort to save the dwindling honeybee population and simultaneously provided corporations with a novel approach to sustainability. Her focus is to install and maintain beehives on corporate campuses, and she works with companies such as Delta Airlines, Chick-Fil-A, and IBM. Our event will include updates from our state Apiary Inspectors, Dr. David Tarpy of NSCU, a full session on the NC Born & Bred Program, a variety of NCSBA updates and a plethora of other learning opportunities. 
Our workshops will host a variety of information and learning sessions.  We will be focused on our region and offer sessions on varroa mites and varroa mite treatments, bear fences, the business of bees, beekeeping husbandry, queen rearing, and many other interesting topics.  Finally, we are going to try something new – workshops from a distance where we will video conference in speakers live to teach and share vital information to help us keep our bees healthy!  Stay tuned, a complete schedule will be published very shortly!

With Kind Regards,

Frederick Proni

NC Bee Guide Available

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“Ceratina, Lasioglossum and Augochlora are out foraging with the honey bees on warm days in December and January,” say Elsa Youngsteadt and Hannah Levenson, co-authors of the just-published “Bees of North Carolina: An Identification Guide.”

As every NCSBA volunteer and presenter knows, NC Zoo Bee Exhibit visitors and 5th grade students expect beekeepers to know about all bees, not just honey bees.   This bee ID guide is available free at https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/the-bees-of-north-carolina-identification-guide.  

Paperbacks of the 57-page guide are available in January and may be pre-ordered at  https://go.ncsu.edu/beeidguide.  Order now to receive  40% off during their holiday special.  For a 25% discount on year-round orders of 5+ copies, use promotional code 01NCSU25. 

In NCSU’s Plant Ecology Department, Dr. Youngsteadt is Assistant Professor and Extension Urban Ecology Specialist.  Hannah Levenson is a Graduate Research Associate in Entomology and Plant Pathology.

UNCW Production “Keepers of the Bees” to be Screened During 2020 Spring Meeting

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You are invited to a special screening of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington production, “Keepers of the Bees”, at the 2020 Spring Conference in New Bern, March 5-7, 2020. 

In 2017, a group of UNCW students founded the UNCW Beekeeping Club. They’d been inspired by the passion of Dr. Anthony Snider, an associate professor in Environmental Studies. But they would ultimately find themselves on a journey to expand their environmental awareness, learn the biological and public intricacies of beekeeping, and follow in the footsteps of generations of beekeepers before them.

The emerging beekeepers soon discovered they would be joining a much larger community: Farmers, scientists, legislators and hobbyists in North Carolina who work together to ensure the honeybee population thrives. This is an ecosystem that affects the agriculture of our state and, ultimately, the food on our tables. The honey bee is one of the most important contributors to our environment, and their survival depends on beekeepers. What started as an interest in creating a club has evolved into a passion for cultivating and protecting a species — and a sense of duty to honor the sacred legacy of beekeeping.

Keepers of the Bees: Official Trailer 2019 from UNCW Ofc of Univ Relations on Vimeo.

NCSBA Golden Achievement Program (GAP) Updates

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Great news for GAP in 2020! 

All Chapters will be eligible to submit their Golden Achievement Program (GAP) book highlighting their Chapter’s activities and accomplishments from January 1 – December 31, 2020 to be recognized by the NCSBA as a “Golden Achievement Chapter”, regardless of whether they have previously been recognized or not. This is an opportunity for all Chapters who meet the GAP minimum requirements to be recognized and receive a $300 grant from the NCSBA. This is only for 2020, so Chapters, start planning for 2020 now to take advantage of this opportunity! The GAP Committee is hoping to receive a record number of GAP submissions. We would love to recognize and reward your Chapter for promoting and supporting NC beekeeping. 

Unfortunately, Chapters who received NCSBA GAP Chapter of the Year for 2020 (To be announced during the summer meeting), 2019 (Orange), and 2018 (Albermarle) are not eligible to participate.

Each year one NCSBA Chapter will be awarded the title of “Golden Achievement Chapter of the Year” and a $700 grant from the NCSBA to fund a service project of the Chapter’s choosing. 

Please contact GAP Committee co-chairs Elizabeth Towe (towe.elizabeth@yahoo.com) or Ray Maxwell (shelbybeek@gmail.com) with any questions. 

GAP Details and Forms

NCSU Arboretum to ‘reveal’ Air Bee & Bee at Moonlight in the Garden

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Final assembly of Air Bee & Bee at JC Raulston Arboretum – Courtesy Mark Weathington

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – For seven nights in November, the magical lighting exhibition Moonlight in the Garden returns to JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University. New to this year’s exhibition is the illumination and reveal of Air Bee & Bee, a five-star urban habitat for pollinators completed in August.

[Read more…] about NCSU Arboretum to ‘reveal’ Air Bee & Bee at Moonlight in the Garden

BEES Academy Report

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NCSBA members enjoyed learning and spending time with Dr. David R. Tarpy  August 23th and 24th at the Caldwell County NC Cooperative Extension office as he debuted his new intermediate beekeeping lecture series, The BEES Academy. The class was a great success thanks to the extra efforts of Seth Nagy, Tina Lovejoy, Diana Ford, Ron and Elizabeth Cifu, Lewis Cauble, and the NCSU Volunteers. If you are interested in joining in this educational experience, spots are still available for the sessions at Brunswick and Chatham County. Please visit https://www.ncsuapiculture.net/bees-academy-home for more information and to register!

NCSU Apiculture BEES Academy

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Are you a beekeeper with a number of years of experience who wants to increase your understanding of bees and improve your practices? Do you feel like you might need a “booster shot” to update what you learned in your beginner bee school? Wish there was an opportunity to reinforce your experience to maximize your beekeeping success? If you answered yes, set aside two full days and immerse yourself in theoretical and practical aspects of beekeeping at the first ever BEES Academies. During live and pre-taped videos from the Beekeeper Education & Engagement System (BEES), Dr. David Tarpy, other members of the NC State Apiculture Program, and CES instructors will help you build upon your current knowledge of beekeeping by exploring topics such as:

  • Honey bee anatomy
  • Division of labor & bee behavior
  • Queens, drones, and mating
  • Diseases, parasites, and disorders
  • Varroa Integrated Pest Management
  • Advanced management techniques
  • Africanized honey bees (*substituted by a lecture on Bee Plants in Piedmont session by Debbie Roos)
  • Effects of pesticides
  • Honey and other hive products

Each presentation is roughly 30-60 minutes and will be followed by a short Q&A and Discussion period. On the second day, you will have the opportunity to practice and observe important areas associated with bee management, including: Hive products, How to read a pesticide label, Diseases under the microscope (Mountains and Piedmont only), Monitoring for varroa mites, Nutrition and supplemental feeding, Identification of native bees (Coastal Plain only). Three instances of this course are being offered in three separate regions in North Carolina (Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain) and at different times during the Fall of 2019, so register for the one most convenient to you. Space is limited to the first 100 beekeepers at each event, so be sure to register early! Further information and links to online registration through the NC State REPORTER system can be found at: https://www.ncsuapiculture.net/bees-academy-home

Sincerely, the NC State Apiculture Program

BEES Academy

NCSU Field Honey Bee Laboratory Update – NC Senate budget

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Dear Members:

We are one step closer to achieving our longtime goal of building a new field honeybee laboratory for the North Carolina State University Apiculture Research Program. 

That came this week when a $2 million-dollar appropriation for the project was included in the North Carolina Senate budget proposal. 

This is not the end of the matter, however. The Senate Budget must be reconciled with the House budget, which does not include that proposed funding. Now we need your help once again. Please contact local your General Assembly Representative and remind them how important honeybees are to our economy and the environment. And specifically ask the to push their leaders to keep the Bee Lab Funding in the budget. 

Your calls and contact with your representatives were a major factor in getting this far. So, please keep working towards this goal. 

Thank you for all your help, we’re not done yet. Your involvement and support are critical now more than ever.

Regards, 

Paul Newbold

President, NCSBA

Certified Honey Producer Featured in Edible Asheville Article

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Edible Asheville, a A seasonal magazine that tells the story of food and drink in Asheville and Western North Carolina, has a lengthy article featuring NCSBA Certified Honey Producers Doug and Sharry Mikell.

Celebrating the Sweetness of Sourwood by Chris Smith explains what exactly sourwood honey is, why it is special, and why it is so rare.

Do you know another Certified Honey Producer mentioned in the media? Let us know!

North Carolina State Fair, October 17 thru 27, 2019

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Each year the NCSBA sponsors a Honey Booth at the state fair. This is a major fund raiser for the association and is one of the ways we are able to keep your dues as they are.

We depend on the membership to staff the booth on a daily basic. Their job is mainly to keep and inventory on display, sell honey, and honey straws. Simple enough, you would think, but last year we had to close down one day due to no volunteers. We’re starting early this year. Would your chapter like to commit to working the booth for a shingle day, covering all shifts for that day? This would be done on a first come, first served. Call or email me and I will block that day from the volunteer sign up that will be posted before the summer meeting. At the summer meeting I will be calling on member to sigh up for individual shifts for each day.

Extra points for the GAP program will be awarded to chapters that cover a day at the fair or for individuals that work work during the week at the fair.

Normal coverage is 3 people from 9 am to 9pm, with 1 addition from 12noon till 5 pm. The 9 am to 9 p can be divided into 4 or 6 hour work periods. Such as 9 to 1, 1 to 5 and 5 till 9. Or 9 am to 3 pm and 3pm to 9pm. This would be at the discretion of the chapter. Again, call or email to have your chapter cover any open day. A list will be maintained on the web of open days still available.

Before the Summer Conference the schedule will be posted for volunteers to sign up on line on a first come basic. We need you continued support to make this a success. Extra volunteers will be needed on Thursday the 17th, for setting up the booth and stocking inventory for the week.

Paul Newbold, President, NCSBA, beefarmer1349@gmail.com

Volunteer Availability

  • Thursday the 17th, Wake County Beekeepers
  • Friday the 18th, Coastal Plains Beekeepers
  • Saturday the 19th, Beekeepers of Chowan County
  • Sunday the 20th, open 9am to 9pm, 1 additional person not till 8pm
  • Monday the 21th, Beekeepers of the Neuse
  • Tuesday the 22nd, Tar River Beekeepers
  • Wednesday the 23rd, 5 County Beekeepers
  • Thursday the 24th, Person/Graville County Beekeepers
  • Friday the 25th, Orange County Beekeepers
  • Saturday the 26th, open 9am till 9pm, 1 additional person noon to 8pm
  • Sunday the 27th, open 9am till 9pm, 1 additional person noon till closing

June is Cooperative Extension Appreciation Month

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The following will appear in the summer 2019 edition of the Bee Buzz

The North Carolina State Beekeepers Association has officially declared

THE MONTH OF JUNE as COOPERATIVE EXTENSION APPRECIATION MONTH

The Smith-Lever Act of U.S. Congress established the Cooperative Extension Service in 1914, and the NC Agricultural Extension Service was founded soon thereafter operating in partnership with the state’s land grant colleges (modern day NCSU in Raleigh and NC A & T Univ. in Greensboro).

Two short years later, in 1916, N.C. State Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture reached an agreement and a beekeeping specialist was employed for the state of North Carolina.

On year later, in 1917, with the help from then Extension Beekeeping Specialist George Rea, the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association was formed, fulfilling an interest to do so that had been pervasive for over a decade.  Two of the papers presented by Extension employees at that meeting were: “Beekeeping in Work of a County Agent” and “First Impressions in Beekeeping Extension”.

By 1918 educational courses on beekeeping had begun at what was then known as “The State College” (modern day NCSU).  Following WWI beekeeping courses were offered to veterans as a means to help them get re-established on the home front.   In 1982, Dr. John Ambrose, then “Extension Apiculturist” started a Master Beekeeper Program.  Although budget restructuring forced NCSU to turn the MBP over to the NCSBA in recent years, Dr. Tarpy and his staff continue to support this integral program of our Association.

Because of Extension we continue to benefit from traditional presentations; webinars; the quarterly Wolfpack Waggle; information of advances from the Queen and Disease Clinic; opportunities to participate in research projects of students and staff; and receive news from the NCSU Apiary.  We can even opt to take beekeeping courses online through the Beekeeper Education and Engagement System (BEES) so that members and public can access the courses from home.

Details of how to protect our hives before and following Hurricane Florence were emailed, posted on social media, and disseminated to county agents statewide so that all beekeepers could benefit from the research-based knowledge and experience of the collective state agencies.

Many of our chapters hold their monthly meetings at Extension facilities which frequently offer not only the space, but technical or event support and much more.  Quite a few of our Chapters have apiaries at Extension facilities. We can call upon our Extension agents when we have questions about pesticides being used near our hives.  We can network with local farming concerns through Extension. 

From dealing with (then) new diseases of Foulbrood and Chalkbrood to current challenges concerning breeding viability and new pests, Extension has shared with us along the way.

It is clear to see that our two organizations have continued to grow side-by-side for over a century.

We share common missions.

The N.C. Cooperative Extension Service is our link to the many State agencies that provide us with ways to make our beekeeping better. For these reasons, the NCSBA has officially declared

THE MONTH OF JUNE as COOPERATIVE EXTENSION APPRECIATION MONTH

We hope that you will join in the Association’s efforts to show our appreciation.

Here are a couple of things you might consider doing:

Annually, the NCSBA recognizes one “Cooperative Extension Worker of the Year” with an award. The award is designed to reward and acknowledge efforts by the Extension workers on behalf of beekeeping, beekeepers, and the bee and honey industry in general. If you have someone you would like to nominate for this award, please see the NCSBA website for an application.

The Golden Achievement Program (GAP) of the NCSBA has added a category (E-4) and Chapters can gain points for participating in the NC State Cooperative Extension Appreciation Month.

NCSU Honey Bee Lab Progress

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NCSU Bee Lab exterior with piles of equipment, root and gutter damage and moldy exterior
NCSU Apiculture Research Facility: Piles of Equipment, Roof and Gutter Damage and Moldy Exterior

Attention North Carolina beekeepers,

Your help is needed to bring about a new honey bee research laboratory at North Carolina State University. 

TO CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES, GO TO www.ncleg.gov

To the credit of Dr. David Tarpy, skilled professor of entomology and renowned researcher, NCSU has an outstanding apiculture research program. There are currently twenty-eight students in the program, including four doctoral and post doctoral researchers. However, this research is being conducted in one of the worst facilities in the University of North Carolina system. The program is housed in an old former residence that was constructed about fifty years ago. It has never been upgraded for safety, accessibility, security and bathroom facilities. The building continues to deteriorate. There is inadequate room for instruction, storage and research. To have more room, the back porch was closed in with reflective Styrofoam panels. In the basement lies the storage area; everything must be hauled by hand up and down the narrow wooden stairs. Overflow storage is outside, open air in the yard. The teaching classroom is in the former kitchen and dining area where long leak stains adorn the sheetrock ceiling. During rain showers, buckets are strategically placed in order to catch rain water that drips through the sheetrock. Representative Chuck McGrady toured the lab in 2018 and subsequently has declared that the building ought to be condemned. His statement is no exaggeration!

People in room looking at bee research equipment underneath deteriorated ceiling
Ceiling Deterioration in Observation Room Evident to Legislative and University Officials During Tour.

Key members of the General Assembly have taken notice of the need for a new honey bee research laboratory and are leading a major effort to secure the necessary funds (approximately $2 million) to build and operate a proposed new facility. NC House Bill 334 (full text here) introduced by Representative Chuck McGrady and has three additional primary sponsors, Representatives Mitchell Setzer, Pricey Harrison and John Ager. Twenty-five other members of the house are sponsors of the bill. HB 334 enjoys the support of both parties. Most recently, Senator Brent Jackson and Representative John Ager toured the lab and concurred that the facility should be replaced. Please contact your local members of the General Assembly and voice your support for House Bill 334.

Legislators, Chancellory Officials and Dr. Tarpy Discuss the State of the Bee Lab

Take a look at the following photos of two other state university bee lab doing comparable research. There are the recently constructed honey bee laboratories at University of Minnesota ($4.5 million) and the University of Florida ($6.4 million), then the honey bee lab at North Carolina State. The disparity in investment and facilities is profound. The pictures speak for themselves. – Rick Coor

University of Florida Honey Bee Lab exterior
University of Florida Honey Bee Lab: Taxpayer Cost Approximately 2.5 Million
Exterior of University of Minnesota Spivak Honey Bee Laboratory
University of Minnesota Spivak Honey Bee Laboratory: Taxpayer Cost Approximately 4 Million.
NCSU Apiculture Research Facility Exterior
NCSU Bee Lab. Replacement Cost Being Requested is 2 Million
University of Florida Laboratory with three researchers
University of Florida Laboratory Facilities
Leak Damage in a classroom with 1970's wood panelling
Leak Damage in NCSU Laboratory/Classroom
Three women extracting honey in clean looking extraction romo at University of Minnesota Spivek Lab
University of Minnesota Extraction Room
Glassed in porch showing insemination, extraction and research equipment and piles of woodenware.
NCSU Insemination, Extraction and Storage on Back Porch
Three women looking at computers in a clean laboratory at University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota Practical Laboratory

2019-2020 GAP Forms Available

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The latest revision for the Golden Achievement Program rules and forms are now published and available for download at https://www.ncbeekeepers.org/chapters/gap,

The Golden Achievement Program (GAP) is intended to be high recognition of the efforts of a chapter and its members  to advancing the practice, science and community of beekeeping through the year. Sharing the accomplishments of our chapters is the key to strengthening our NCSBA organization.