Aaron's intimate knowledge, his ability to recall the details, and his ability and willingness to link information on the subject at hand adds important details to the discussion.

Between 1995 and 2000 Apiary Inspections were carried out by four seasonal Apiary Inspectors the first two years only to certify migratory operations for interstate transport purposes as per the Eastern States Agreement pertaining to interstate transport of honeybee colonies. The last three years only two were employed for a very short season. As hard as we worked, it was as much as anything a formality. Something to give the appearance of Inspection to satisfy the requirements.

That doesn't mean that inspections weren't done. They were. But even spending a week or two inspecting a 10,000 hive operation is merely scratching the surface. And six weeks was not enough time to glean anything as an Inspector anymore than a paycheck for about 6 to 12 weeks and time added to Years of Service. No Health Insurance or Unemployment Compensation benefits. Yet we did it.

At the time, I thought doing so was a way for me to earn a little money and also to keep what I then thought was an important program alive. Nieve thinking perhaps. But there was a full time/full season program again starting in 2001. Which I worked the next 5 years until Apiary Inspectors who owned bees were given a choice between keeping bees and Inspection as a job. Not much of a choice.

So what should the AIAC be? How should it be made up? Whose responsibility is it to make sure that seats are filled and people rotated through those seats over time? I keep saying to people who bring up disgruntled feelings about the  AIAC that it is the Commissioners committee. 

Seems like as far as the Commissioner is concerned things are just fine. I don't think they are. I would love to see varied faces in the group photos. But I am not all that hung up about it. What does the AIAC really matter to anyone in the long run? Does anyone think that the current Apiary Program in Ag&Mkts has much life left in it? Time will tell, I guess. W/out an Apiary Inspection Program will there be any reason for an Apiary Industry Advisory Committee? Maybe, since it hardly costs anything other than time to have a committee that meets a couple times a year.

So what should an AIAC be? And what should an Apiary Inspection Program be, if anything?

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