On Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:39:19 EDT, Chris Slade <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Do they have right of entry onto private property?
In the inspection law, written many decades ago, NY State claims the
right to go on anybody's property at any time with or without
permission and look into their hives and bee equipment. Maybe, decades
ago, with AFB at 50%, this was appropriate. I don't think it is now.
I'd say if there is reasonable suspicion of disease, permission should
be obtained and if necessary, a warrant.
> How do they diagnose problems?
A thorough visual inspection of the brood and bees is performed, by an
inspector who is supposedly qualified to do this, though some of the
inspectors probably aren't.
> What diseases/pests are within their remit?
NY law forbids the keeping of bees with AFB or African bees. No
attempt is made to regulate beetles, mites, or nosema.
> Is there laboratory confirmation of their suspicions?
Yes, by the US Govt.
> Is destruction of hives upon confirmation compulsory?
Yes, and this is a bit of a problem, because some states allow
medicating the colonies. AFB is a bacterial infection and can be
treated with ordinary antibiotics. So many beekeepers resent being
told that NY State doesn't allow this.
> Is it just the innards of the hive or the whole?
Some salvaging can be carried out. Mainly the bees, combs and honey
are destroyed. Wooden ware can be scorched. The hives could be
irradiated.
> Is there a compensation scheme?
Nope. And since it costs up to $50 replace a super and a good hive
could sell for $150 bucks, this can be a very expensive loss.
I worked as an inspector and I felt that I did a lot of good, but I
would rather have had an entirely different program. New York is one
of the most heavily regulated states and it is very expensive to live
here as a result. I was by threatened with a heavy fine by a State
Trooper, in front of my family, for wading into the lake when there
was no lifeguard on duty. I grew up in California where I surfed in
heavy seas alone in winter, with nobody even watching and here I am
not allowed to go wading unsupervised.
But let me tell you a true story. There was a yard of bees, about
forty hives. The inspector is supposed to phone the owner and notify
intent to inspect. The owner told me over the phone to stay the F--
away from his bees. The unwritten policy was to push the beekeeper and
if they push back, move on. So I moved on. The following year, I asked
my supervisor to make the call, expecting trouble. He didn't want to
get into it, I guess, because he never called.
The third year I got the other brother. The bees were dad's but now
the various brothers ran the farm. This other brother said go ahead
and check 'em. So I did. Well, out of 40, something like 14 had either
AFB scale, or active symptoms. It was pretty obvious they were being
treated and the hives looked real good except for that. Most had about
a hundred pounds of honey, mostly basswood. I called my supervisor and
described it to him.
These guys are not going to be willing to kill these great looking
hives and destroy a ton of fresh honey. Especially since the past
inspectors left them alone for years. Sure enough, when I got together
with old dad, I found him to be at least as smart a me. He said he has
a herd of cows and you can't keep cows alive without antibiotics, why
should bees be any different? He said, in fact, the former bee
inspector was the one who told him to switch from terramycin to
tylosin, so you don't have to dose 'em as often.
Now the inspection program is telling him he has to burn up his bees,
because they changed their mind and want to make an example of him?
What about all the other guys who medicate hundreds or thousands of
hives? Why not go after them? Now that he was down from 900 to 40
hives and up to 75 in years, they figure he's any easy mark. Hoo boy,
was he mad. And how could I blame him? Laws are supposed to be the
same for everybody, but when was it really ever like that?
Now NY State is picking on beekeepers to register their hives, knowing
full well that the large scale operators will never let on where ALL
their hives are or how many they even have. And why should they
really? So the State can tax them in order to fund the inspectors to
go around and burn 'em up? Foulbrood now stands at around 2% and
anyone with 50 cents worth of sense can prevent it. Granted, some
nutty granolas think they can get away without following the basic
practices of disease control and prevention ... but I have digressed
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