A hobbyist beekeeper workshop is scheduled in the afternoon, featuring honey processing, pest and disease diagnosis and treatment and queen management. There has not been a meeting of this body for some time and several things will top the agenda, including small hive beetle and Varroa control, Africanized bees and foulbrood control status. The recent discovery of Africanized honey bees in Jacksonville has prompted a meeting of the Africanized Honey Bee Task Force of the Division of Plant Industry. This is sure to be appreciated by beekeepers and others around the state who have questions about the service and its policies. This protects the honey industry as well as the valuable pollination services derived from managed honeybee colonies.
Apiary inspectors certify honeybees for movement intrastate, interstate, and internationally.
Regulated pests and diseases include American foulbrood disease, Varroa mite, and unwanted races of honeybees. Inspectors collect and submit samples to the food lab for certification as Tupelo honey and certify honey for foreign export. There are more than 200,000 honeybee colonies in Florida apiaries. The Department has the most active state program in the United States to prevent the accidental introduction of this pest. The Bureau has worked closely with the states involved in the eastern states migratory pattern to develop the Eastern States Agreement on consistent certification requirements.