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Calling all Alabama beekeepers: No comb law...yes or no?

64K views 226 replies 35 participants last post by  fatscher 
#1 · (Edited)
Would like to hear from anyone regarding Alabama's no comb law:

Section 2-14-4(a) "...All shipments or movements of honeybees into the State of Alabama shall be in combless packages only, and shipments or movements of honeybees into this state in violation of the requirements of this section shall be unlawful."

Section 2-14-5 - "Shipment, movement, etc., into state of used beekeeping equipment or supplies. It shall be unlawful to ship, move or otherwise transport into this state for delivery within the state any previously used honey containers or any hives, combs, frames, appliances, supers or other beekeeping equipment or supplies which have been previously used in the keeping or raising of bees..."

This is designed to prevent the spread of disease caused by migratory beekeepers moving through the state enroute to Ca or Fla.

But it also hurts small scale beekeepers and hobbyists who conciously try hard to keep their bees disease free. Let me have the state apiarist inspect my bees and if they're diseased, then I'll not cross the state line, but don't have a state law which hurts the guy or girl trying to do right.

I feel sorry for the Vermont beekeepers who imported southern packages and got an outbreak of small hive beetles, previously unknown there.
 
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#2 ·
Is this new law or old law?

Otherwise, how do you know that it was designed to prevent the spread of disease caused by migratory beekeepers moving through the state? I bet that there has never been a varifiable case of disease that can be traced to a migratory load of beehives traveling through a state. Unless you count tose who set down in those states. Which is different than traveling through.

Does Alabama actually not let beekeepers move their colonies into and out of the state of Alabama? If there are any beekeeping operations of size in the state I find that hard to believe. If Alabama is their state of origin, how could they not allow them back in?
 
#5 ·
Is this new law or old law? Otherwise, how do you know that it was designed to prevent the spread of disease caused by migratory beekeepers moving through the state?

I bet that there has never been a varifiable case of disease that can be traced to a migratory load of beehives traveling through a state.
I'll call your bet. I believe the same thing. I was told by Dennis Barclift, the state apairist (a very nice gentleman, by the way) that it was designed to prevent the spread of disease caused by migratory beekeepers

Does Alabama actually not let beekeepers move their colonies into and out of the state of Alabama? If there are any beekeeping operations of size in the state I find that hard to believe. If Alabama is their state of origin, how could they not allow them back in?
Bee-lieve it or not, it's true...oh boy how I wish it weren't. I have 20 hives at the Tennessee border that I can't bring in because of the law. Am I pouting? Yessirree!

I doubt that any of this has much to do with SHB. I haven't purchassed new bees in at least five years and run my bees on foundationless. I'm way out in the boonies, the nearest beek being at least 10 miles away, and yet my girls are slam full of SHB.
I spoke with Jim Tew at the state meeting, and Jim is of the feeling that this law goes back to the early 1970s, 25 years before any reported cases of SHB, so yes, I think you're right.

Similar laws in Alaska have not prevented the spread of disease into/throughout the state. The bees, themselves, are the major carriers of disease spoor. Parasites ride on/in living bees. Virus and other illness are carried in the gut and other parts of bee bodies. As has been shown in several studies, symptoms do not have to be present for the disease to be present. Just as with any other animal.

Stopping the traffic in hive components and comb into or through the state will not impede disease in any way.
PREACH ON BROTHER, PREACH ON I tried using this logic and was shot down, the Alabama Farmers Federation State Bee and Honey Committee is a very strong force to reckon with.

Here's the website of Alabama Farmers Federation State Bee and Honey Committee: http://www.alfafarmers.org/commodities/bee_honey.phtml

Goals of the Alabama Bee and Honey Producers for 2010 include:

--Secure research money for honey production, marketing and pollination.
--Keep no-comb law in effect. :cry:
--Increase current funding for the existing Alabama A&M University research program into the percent yield increase in lint and seed effect of honeybee cross pollination of BT cotton, and expand the program to include other crops such as soybeans, fruits, vegetables, etc., by other Land Grant universities.
--Work closely with Alabama fruit and vegetables growers to determine the issues that need to be resolved.
--Continue support of anti-dumping suit.
--Support naming queen bee as state insect.

You can write Mr. Adamson, and express your disappointment at this very constraining law.
 
#3 ·
I doubt that any of this has much to do with SHB. I haven't purchassed new bees in at least five years and run my bees on foundationless. I'm way out in the boonies, the nearest beek being at least 10 miles away, and yet my girls are slam full of SHB.
 
#4 ·
Similar laws in Alaska have not prevented the spread of disease into/throughout the state. The bees, themselves, are the major carriers of disease spoor. Parasites ride on/in living bees. Virus and other illness are carried in the gut and other parts of bee bodies. As has been shown in several studies, symptoms do not have to be present for the disease to be present. Just as with any other animal.

Stopping the traffic in hive components and comb into or through the state will not impede disease in any way.

Stopping the importation (but not thru-traffic) of used comb _MIGHT_ reduce the rate of pesticide death due to buildup in was. It's unlikely, though, since AL sustains a large amount of agriculture which imports and deploys pesticides directly.
 
#13 ·
Yep, very true. But the thing is, I'm sort of hard-headed too. Ask my mom...there was no more determined kid than me, and she used to call me "hard-head" because I just wouldn't let it go. I'm a fighter and a bulldog. When my jaws lock down on the flesh of the bull I just don't let go. Ask my mentor, winevines, she'll tell you I'm about as the most persistent cuss you'll ever meet.

So I guess ther are no crops there that need pollenation? I know that this year over 68,000 hives came into Maine. That doesn't say anything about Nuc's brought in.
Well your neighbor to the south, Vermont, got packages this spring, and SURRRPIZE!!!!! lo and behold there was shb in them, tsk tsk. First time the Green Mountain folk had seen the little black buggers, and I'm not talking about the flies, neither:pinch:


Such a law, if enforced, would destroy agriculture in that state. It wouldn't just hurt it, it would destroy it. If this isn't a brand new law, then I guarantee they don't enforce it.
Thank you, my fellow Tennessee brother! Totally agree!!! I told Dennis that Mike Studer himself (well in form only) had inspected my bees when they crossed the state line from Virginia at Bristol. It didn't faze him. There's an ultra-conservative thinking in this state that is self-destructive. Ironic that the next day, I drove through Selma Alabama to visit my college son. You can imagine what I was thinking.

I'd like to start a campaign called FREE ALABAMA. I need support from fellow Alabamians. Hope to find some.
 
#14 ·
So I suppose there are no migratory beeks in Alabama... come to think of it I can not think of any. Are there no crops that require pollination...ie... squash, cucumbers, pumpkins, etc? Guess that could all be done by intrastate beeks. I am surprised that the Ag guys do not have more influence - they are more than a powerful lobby in this state.
 
#33 ·
... are [there] no migratory beeks in Alabama [?]... come to think of it I can not think of any. Are there no crops that require pollination...ie... squash, cucumbers, pumpkins...
New World crops, cotton, corn, squash, pecans etc. evolved in the absence of honeybees, so these crops are not dependant on honeybees for pollination. The large planters sometimes "invite" hobbyist to set their hives down near their Old World crops. The crops that require insect pollination that is. Isn't this what the term "local sustainable agriculture" means?

There is more than enough local beekeepers (as far as I know) to pollinate Alabama’s fruit crops. The cucumber crops mentioned are not very attractive to honeybees. Seems I read somewhere, maybe from the University of Georgia, Florida, or Auburn that there is a danger of honeybees starving on cucumbers, squash, and other melon crops. In addition, if the melon fields are not huge there is a danger that the beekeepers honeybees would ignore the crop the melon farmer paid the beekeeper to bee pollinate, and instead work other nearby blooming crops or wild flowers. The more robust bumble bee (on a bee to bee basis) is IMHO a much better melon or squash pollinator. She is able to shoulder her way into and out of just opened or almost closed melon, or squash blossoms. The truth is that most row crops and all cereal crops here do not benefit or hardly benefit from honeybee pollination, although the bees can benefit enormously from the same crops.

How from the "be careful what you wish for, you just may just get it," department.

Today there is a "better" way for cotton farmers to avoid killing honeybees if the farmer has to spray for spider mites or other cotton pests not controlled by Bt cotton. They plant cotton varieties (although I understand the seed companies refuse to comment on this) that produce nothing attractive to honeybees. No honeybees present in you cotton field, no dead honeybees when or if you spray. Isn’t that an elegant solution to a thorny problem? Although it prevents most bee deaths from cotton pesticides, this doses nothing to help bees or beekeepers.

What will be the next crop to thumb its nose at honeybees, self fertile almonds? I'll bet you a dime against a doughnut somewhere, someone is working on or thinking about the solution to this $250,000,000 (to the almond producer) “problem” as I type.
 
#18 ·
I suspect a simple federal lawsuit would result in the state law being overturned... Bees are clearly very very important to interstate commerce and only the US Congress has the authority to regulate interstate commerce.. however every law is "legal" until challenged in the courts...:shhhh:
 
#19 ·
More on Alabama's no comb law

The hate mail is rolling in on me from some of my Alabama beekeeper "brothers".

One guy told me to get my facts straight, then proceeded to tell me how I should spend my idol [sic] time working at a veterans home here in Huntsville, rather than work to change this law. But he never set me straight on the facts!!! guffaw!

In fact, NO ONE has offered ANY facts on this stupid (oops did I say that out loud?:no:) state law.

So I went digging a little, and here's the micro info on what I could find. P.S. Did I mention that no one here wants to talk about it?

In the Alabama codes, Title 2 Section 14, there appears a four digit number along with a series of other numbers like: "(Acts 1965, No. 794, p. 1488). Does this mean the code was enacted in 1965? I did learn from googling Harry Fulton the following factoid...

In 1970 MBA (Mississippi Beekeepers Association) proposed a no-comb law which would prohibit movement of bees on combs into the state. MBA consisted of mostly native commercial package and queen producers who opposed the newer and fast developing migratory beekeeping industry consisting of mostly non-native beekeepers. The legislation was not enacted. Such conflicts of interest between the two groups have hampered enactment of new laws and regulations since 1970. A History of Entomology in Mississippi, 1989, Mississippi Entomological Association

I do know Alabama has never been a honey production or pollination state, rather the predominant history has been in package and queen production.

A beekeeper local to Alabama wrote me stating: "Unfortunately, the newer generation in these businesses sees quicker profits and easier money to sell off the farm (Bee farm) for subdivisions. That has reduced the number of large queen and package beekeepers in the state. The border law situation was set up to protect that industry."

Supposedly, and I am still awaiting the facts and figures from the Alabama dept pf agriculture, Alabama has lagged the other contiguous 47 states in getting all new diseases and pest by 3 or 4 years, so (they claim) the law works right? Not clear at all how accurate that is...it's what I'm told. Alabama claims they've had no reported cases of AFB resistant to Oxytetracycline.

While the lag in pest intro was the case with Small Hive Beetle, they were first discovered in the middle of the state first. That was a mystery for many regional inspectors until they examined where they appeared -- TRUCK STOPS. I mean, duhhhh!

So here's a state law, with a the border like a sieve because interstate transport on federal highways cannot be interfered with. So why the law???
It's just ignorant madness.

Honest no-comb proponents will admit the law has, in fact, retarded the growth of beekeeping in this state. South Alabama is warm enough for migratory beekeepers to over winter. If that were allowed, it would create growth in the commercial beekeeping industry and add income to the state.

But many believe loosening the law would infect the state industry with all sorts of diseases and pests since migratory beekeeping from outside (I suppose migratory beekeeping from the inside is less stressful???) is very stressful to the bees.

I know, back in 2000, the president of the Alabama Beekeepers Association was offered a huge bribe, if he would help this out of state migratory beekeeper to get the law changed. He double crossed the briber and argued to legistlators in Montgomery to KEEP the law.

Many Alabamans are deeply loyal to this law, and really don't know why they are, but they know they are.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Interesting thread -- although I am a small-scale, fairly new beek here in central Alabama, this issue affects me in some ways. Have you spoken with Ted Kretschmann yet? He has always seemed pretty knowledgeable regarding the political aspects of beekeeping in this state. I plan to do a bit of digging on this (many thanks for the excellent references in your posts), but in the meantime - and this is ignorant opinion only, subject to change - I'm thinking that some of the resistance you are encountering may be reduced if, instead of merely calling for the repeal of the Code, you could offer a replacement or a restatement of it. No point in leaving a gaping hole in the few legal protections we have, right? We have a slate of new legislators in Bama, who probably need some new legislation to introduce, if for no other reason than to convince future voters that they have "done something" -- contact your area legislator, educate him/her on the issue, and see if that generates a change.

Thanks for providing me with a bit of fresh brain-food --- :)
 
#21 ·
...I'm thinking that some of the resistance you are encountering may be reduced if, instead of merely calling for the repeal of the Code, you could offer a replacement or a restatement of it. No point in leaving a gaping hole in the few legal protections we have, right?

-- contact your area legislator, educate him/her on the issue, and see if that generates a change.
You are absolutely right, and I've thought more about how to be more moderate on this subject too. I've written a proposed wording that I tried to share (e-mail me and I'll send it to you) with ABA officers and board of directors. Surprisingly about 3 out of the 5 or 6 BoD's were quite supportive of changing the law.

It would be wonderful if the disease infested migratory out of staters with 60,000 colonies could be kept a bay, while allowing small timers like me (and you?) to bring in genetic diversity on nucs, sustainable-style.

I have contacted the Alabama State Attorney General on this matter and I'm in dialog with my state congressmen, too. You bring up good points...thanks for that.
 
#22 ·
Interesting thread indeed. If I were facing this dilemma, I'd have to first ask myself...

First: Where is the enforcement?

On the surface, it sounds like a good practice to limit the disease potential. But the law has to be enforced. I would surmise there are simply too many opportunties and too few inspectors to make this law enforcable. If my bees were healthy, I'd probably just move my bees and fly under the radar.

Second: What are the penalties?

Sometimes laws lack enough of a penalty, especially for first-time and one-time violators, that ignoring the law and breaking the law has no consequences other than a slap on the wrist. I'd probably move my bees and pay the fine, if I got caught. It's kind of like parking tickets on expired meters in small towns. The fine is minimal, but you still need to get caught.

Third: Is it worth getting caught?

People break the law every day and never get caught. Not enough enforcement and penalties that don't change behavior. When they get caught, it's not a big deal. If moving bees was a serious issue for me, I might take my chances and move them very quietly. If you get caught, what's the worst they can do?

Fourth: If I break the law, who do I endanger?

Presumably, laws are on the books to protect the general public. So if I choose to wantonly break this law, who am I endangering? If my bees are healthy, not that everyone's bees are, who do I place at risk? Before moving my bees, am I totally assured this violation of the law poses no risk to any other beekeeper? It's kind of like those laws that want to ban pitbulls. And yet I know of one, perhaps isolated incident where the family pet is a pitbull and one of the most gentle, friendly dogs you'd ever encounter. Yet our politicians feel the need to outlaw this breed. But if was raising pitbulls, am I sure they won't turn on the neighbor who comes by my house to buy honey? There are new laws restricting the sale of raw milk. Is it anyone's business if I choose to drink raw milk?

Fifth: Is this law even relavent?

If you study the history of most laws, they start with a specific example/problem caused by a minority. Politicians then make laws to inflict upon the majority. And in today's culture, special interest groups lobby the politicians to create laws in the favor of the special interests. The rest of us pay the costs and the inconvenience. I often wonder if the politicians have any clue to the raminifications of the laws they make.

There are also a ton of out-dated laws that bear no relavence today. But getting them changed takes an act of Congress...literally.

If this were me, I'd take a long look at this law. While not advocating outright, wholesale anarchy, we have a host of stupid laws that have no relavence to any common sense. Sometimes a fella has to do what a fella has to do. If this were me, and if was totally assured my bees were healthy, I'd move my bees and keep my mouth shut. Fly under the radar.

I do move bees, but it's splits and nucs to non-migratory locations. I don't have these kind of laws and restrictions to deal with...thankfully. I'm more of a "spirit" of the law person than the "letter" of the law.

Grant
Jackson, MO
 
#23 ·
A condensed case history:
I live about 6 miles north of the AL state line by a squiggly route. The farmers of northern Madison Co. had done me a favor in an earlier business venture, and I wanted to return the favor. Building hive count during the wipeout of feral bees from T mite, outyards were located along an east/west road - Ready Section in Madison Co. about 10 miles (?) from the state line.

To support increasing hive count, a small box ad in the yellow pages under pest control billed me as the honey bee specialist. At that time, the bee inspector and pest control certification troops reported to the same chief.
They knew I had not been certified in the chemicals used in pest control, and the chief sicced the inspector on me. It wasn't much trouble to convince the bee inspector that I didn't use chemicals and certfication was not needed. They did insist that I register my outyards and colonies that were located in Al. I complied. A small fee for registration.

It was obvious that hives were being moved across the state line on a regular basis, but the subject of the comb law was never mentioned. How's that for rational enforcement for those operating on the fringes?
Walt
 
#26 ·
How's that for rational enforcement for those operating on the fringes?
Walt
Walt, as a well respected beekeeper here in the southeast, your sentiments encourage me. Thank you. I'm a native Tennessean, but live in Alabama, 14 miles south of the Tenn border, and thus am a state voting citizen.

I believe reason will prevail, but until then, there's a significant lack of rational thought among some ALFA commercial beekeepers, tinged with passionate emotion.
 
#24 ·
An excellent argument/case study supporting a revision of the law and its associated enforcement apparatus. A law which prevents cooperation among conscionable people, or a law which is unenforced because even the controlling agency (or, at least, its human agent) recognizes the impracticality of the law, needs to be revised - not excised, mind you: we need sensible legislation to control unwanted behaviors.

If y'all don't mind, I think that I will contact Lonnie Funderburg from the ABA and see if he has any ideas about how to push this idea toward the State Ag Department -- I'd guess that they are the appropriate folks to present this to the legislature. Meanwhile, an email to your district's legislator won't hurt, either. I sent a couple yesterday and am awaiting a response.
 
#25 · (Edited)
...I think that I will contact Lonnie Funderburg from the ABA and see if he has any ideas about how to push this idea toward the State Ag Department....
Yeah, you can try that... but here's what Lonnie wrote me when I tried to pose the question...

"Dear New beekeeper,
I will not support your efforts. Too many great beekeepers fought too hard for too long to get this law that at least slows down the importation of new diseases and pests for me to trash their efforts. The Board of Directors of the Alabama Beekeepers will not support any change to the law. If you raise this matter at the annual meeting, I will vote against it."
Lonnie W. Funderburg, Editor, the Stinger, newsletter of the Alabama Beekeepers Association.

Well guess what, Lonnie, 3 out of 6 Board of Director members support changing the law!!! I know, because I've spoken with them. Care to reassess what the state Board of Directors think???

Listen up everyone, you all outside of Alabama should be aware how emotional and personal many (who support this law) in this state take this law. If you question this law, you are ostracized. At our meeting in Oct, Dr. Jim Tew, feature columnist in Bee Culture mag, told me personally that I would quickly gain an ill-reputation among my Alabamians if I pushed this. The world needs to know how backward this law is. Inspect bees on comb, FINE! But don't stop them at the border, it's just senseless.
 
#28 ·
Passions aside, I think there is a rational thought among those trying to change the law. If the law is amended for nothing else but to allow nucs in for (1) requeening "accidentally Africanized" hives or to (2) expand genetic diversity then that is a major advancement for the honeybee in Alabama.

I do admit my frustration, but at the end of the day people need to be aware that this law is on the books (because quite frankly many beekeepers I've spoken to admit they knew nothing about it). Kind of like when Tom Bodet throws out a random law (in his Motel 6 commercials), "Did you know in Filthy Gulch, AZ it's illegal to feed a mule a hamburger while sitting in a bathtub?" You're like, huh????

So, no, the entire world literally doesn't care about this law no matter what, but Alabama beekeepers should be aware.

Good luck in Montgomery. More people questioning this, like you, will force the supporters to justify it. Not sure the justification is there to keep out nucs in "onesie - twosie" deliveries across the border.
 
#29 ·
I have to tell you: I am more and more supportive of this idea. I'm just groping around in an effort to find the right avenue to push it forward. Right now, I'm "shotgunning" ideas at you to see if any of them seem more sensible than others. I am going to speak to people as I have opportunity becuase, as you say, the more folks who hear about this, the more voices will join the conversation -- then we can see what "the will of the people" is on this, and move from there.

I'll be in Montgomery Tuesday and Wednesday. Let you know what I find out.
 
#32 ·
fatscher,

I just saw this thread. Sorry for late response. This stuns me, as we are looking at a possible transfer to AL. I surely will follow grants advise and fly under the radar. But, I was thinking of contacting the local area BC pres and inquiring about pollen sources and general conversation about bees. The thought is, he may or may not welcome competition from another keep to his county and spill the beans.

There are three of us out here who run 100+, we all talk and share with each other, which creates a nice working relationship. Its nice to gleen from others.

If the transfer works out, this will not be a show stopper, but I will not sell off all our hard work. Thanks for the information.

Kind regards,
 
#34 ·
Very informative post, scrapfe -- I learned a lot from reading it. You're spot on as far as the reasons for a lack of need for migratory beeks in this state: we don't have commercial crops which specifically require honeybees for pollination. The crops we do have can be serviced by locals (I think the beek with the largest number of hives runs about 1800-plus, but he's an exception to the rule). Interesting about the cotton, though -- we have a lot of cotton in my area, and my field-neighbor and I have discussed this a few times ... haven't seen any of the experimental seed yet, but we figure it won't be long before it's available. I'm trying to talk him out of buying into the idea -- I get good honey from cotton blossoms.
 
#35 ·
... the beek with the largest number of hives runs about 1800-plus, but he's an exception to the rule...
Seems like 40-50 years ago there were several large package bee producers here. I don't get around much any more, but today I don't know of anyone in state that sells packages or a large number of queens. anyone who knows of one please tell me. Seems like there was one in Baldwin County and one a short distance South of Montgomery. Anyone out there who can jog or jump start my memory. How about it markmaster?
 
#37 ·
Just because you don't know them does not mean queen and package producers are not there. You might consider having a talk with some of them before you start this commotion.

For the record, I've been a beekeeper in Alabama since 1970 and have been well aware of this law since my first colony of bees. In my experience, most Alabama beekeepers are aware of the requirements.

Also for the record, I would not support changing this law at this time. It was enacted for the specific purpose of protecting the queen and package industry in the state. It dates back to the 1930's when AFB was a major scourge of beekeeping and migratory beekeeping was just beginning. It has been tweaked once since then to update for queens and packages to be shipped into the state.

Hive beetles were brought into the state by migratory beekeepers moving along routes parallel to the state, specifically up I 75 through Georgia and other similar routes. There are also plenty of beekeepers that run trucks through the state or move colonies in violation of the law. That does not mean I want to see it become any worse than it already is.

DarJones
 
#38 ·
Just because you don't know them does not mean queen and package producers are not there. You might consider having a talk with some of them before you start this commotion.
DarJones
I don't want to be over-sensitive here, but the introduction to your very informative post (I'd appreciate seeing more posts from supporters of the comb law, for my own education) sounds a bit like a blanket accusation. Some of us on this thread are just trying to engage in conversation about beekeeping because we are interested, but not yet well-versed, in the issues involved here. Besides, "commotion" is not always a bad thing -- at least more of us new folks are becoming aware of the law and the reasons for its existence.
 
#43 ·
Alabama seems to be backards in a lot of their thinking. ... Guess they want to maintain their own little fifedom.
Thinking they can control disease by not letting comb in when disease is all around them is just plain ignorant.
I can understand the image Alabama has created with the rest of the country, among a myriad of subjects. As a recent immigrant to Alabama, and having taken the oath of allegiance in Alabama, and having become a card-carrying (drivers license), voting Alabama citizen, I can say not all Alabamians are that way.

Supporters of the law strongly believe the law has held off intro of new diseases/pests in the state by an average of 3-4 years. They feel they have good proof in this, whether anecdotal or documented. Either way, that doesn't matter, as long as there's some legitimacy to the law it'll be extremely difficult to defeat. The state beekeepers association, as well as the Ala farmer's federation agricultural honey commodity advocates, also act like a lobbyist against any efforts to change the law. So, as long as that powerful force is against it, it won't happen soon. Also, the state legislature has become wise that the largest push to change the law seems to come from outsiders. Whether a citizen or not, if you support a change, you're viewed as an outsider.

Ironically, with the recent arrival of AHB in Georgia, I am confident most supporters of no-comb will see the law as slowing AHB into Alabama. I, for one, see the benefit of relaxing the law to allow EHB nucs in from any source to emergency requeen AHB-infected hives.

Frankly, I'm not totally sure the law predates anti-biotics but I have not done that deep of research on anti-biotics. The law came in effect in 1965 as near as I can tell. AFB had been seen in this country for well over 100 years at that time.
 
#42 ·
ScrapFe.....self pollinating Almond trees are already in existence. If I'm not mistaken, there was some press last year about getting the first substantial crop from these trees(which takes a long time with an almond tree 12-15 years I think.) and citing facts about how those almonds compared just as well with open pollinated trees in production, flavor etc. Some time back I made a comment I didn't think their would be an almond pollination industry in 50 years. Increasing hive rental fees and bee health issues will force almond producers to switch to self pollinating trees.
 
#49 ·
Since my name comes up in discussion. I thought that I would throw in my two cent for what it is worth on the no comb law of Alabama. I started keeping bees back in 1973. I have done what is considered impossible, I started with one hive of bees and built this business. We now run around 1800 colonies. It has not been a bed of roses. This outfit collapsed three times due to both mites, beetles and ccd over the course of 39 years of beekeeping. Did the law keep the problems out---NO! Did the law keep a vibrant beekeeping industry alive in Alabama--NO!! I, as a former package bee producer and all those that have gone before me, I can say this for certainty. WE LIVED AND DEFENDED THAT LAW AND AS AN INDUSTRY DIED BY THAT LAW> That law, when there was a package and queen industry had it's purpose but that purpose has long gone. The law needs to be repealed. Other states around us have vibrant commercial beekeeping industries. Alabama has not an industry left. With the coming of the African honey bee, I wonder were the hobbyist that so defend this confounding law are going to get their bees and queens. They too, will die by this law also in the near future. I have survived because I am economically sustained by out of state dollars.----- I am a PROUD member of Souix Honey. That law cut the other commercial producers off from out of state opportunities economically and KILLED them. So when all you people want to argue back and forth about the virtues of the No comb law of Alabama, You tell them that one man watched his beloved beekeeping industry die in his state and it will never return. Yes, I know how "Uncus" last of the Mohicans felt at the bitter end. Sincerely Ted Kretschmann of Alabama, Last of the commerical beekeepers in Alabama
 
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