The Ontario Beekeepers' Association

The Ontario Beekeepers' Association is the provincial organization that as of January 1, 2010 represents  2,250 beekeepers of Ontario.

takes beekeepers concerns and suggestions to provincial and federal levels of government.

26 active Board Committees acting on your behalf.

negotiates for improved crop insurance , honey regulations , CAIS program.

works towards mite-resistant bee stock.

organizes courses on beekeeping, queen rearing, integrated pest management.

educates through schools, teachers' kits, newspaper articles, farm periodicals.

is a contact for honey and honey/bee related items for the general public, domestic or export buyers, and for hives for pollination for growers .

 

Keeping Ontario Beekeepers Beekeeping:

How we work together

Role of the OBA:

To keep beekeepers beekeeping!

Provides a forum to pool resources for education, promotion, research, networking and to deal with problems that arise for the beekeepers. It also provides a voice for the beekeepers to the scientific community, to the Ontario Government and, through Canadian Honey Council to the Federal Government.

Here is a list of what the OBA has done for Ontario's beekeepers:

"Established 1881 - Serving Beekeepers for Over a Century"

Hobbyists, as well as commercial operators, have the same problems. This is what the OBA has done in recent years to help them both.

1. Assisted in the registration of Apistan, Oxalic Acid, and Checkmite in Ontario.

2. Assisting in the proposed registration of Bayvoral in Ontario.

3. The use of formic acid in Ontario to fight against the mite problem, including the development of the award winning internationally used Mite-Away (single application) and Mite Wipe Pad .

4. Continues to lobby the government to keep the position of Provincial Apiarist, his office, local inspectors and the inspection program.

5. Lobbies for monies and supports research, particularly for the Tech Transfer Program , to develop mite-resistant stock. Ontario is more advanced in this area than anyone else.

6. Offers Group Liability Insurance that is economical to members.

7. Input into the Apiculture and Pollination Sub-Committee regarding research and pollination priorities in Ontario.

8. Assisted in the importation of Chilean honeybees.

9. Administers the Advance Payments Program for honey producers in Ontario (interest free loans up to $100,000).

10. Tech Transfer Team on staff who have revised the Ontario Beekeeping Manual and the Ontario Queen Rearing Manual and who hold and teach various educational courses.

11. Ontario Bee Breeders' Association has helped develop Ontario breeder stock for Ontario bee breeders and it holds courses/information days every year.

12. Liaison with Foodland Ontario re: use of Foodland Ontario logo.

13. Buckfast Bee stock was first imported with the support of the OBA. It continues to be evaluated, selected and promoted as a valued stock.

14. Developed the Code of Good Manufacturing Practices to be implemented by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency through CHC.

15. Gave input and continues to monitor the Crop Insurance , Self-Directed Risk Management and CAIS programs.

16. Continues to monitor potential pesticide problems in the province with regards to bees e.g. Furidan spraying of corn.

17. Input and monitors The Damage to Honey Bee Colonies by Bears Compensation Program.

18. Ontario Honey Bee Pollination Association advertises collectively for producers.

19. Supports Innovative Research e.g. medicinal use of honey

20. Promotes honey use in the food industry and keeps an eye on any false advertising by companies claiming to use honey when they are not using pure honey.

21. Annual Convention with guest speakers from the US and around the world.

22. Holds a honey competition every year at it's Annual Convention which promotes honey to the public in that particular hotel and region of the province.

23. Maintains an informative and user friendly website.

24. Played a large role in the completion and publishing of the "History of Beekeeping in Ontario" hardcover book.

25. Director on board with excellent writing skills to promote the OBA to all Ontario beekeepers.

26. Assisted in acquiring Dr. Ernesto Guzman's position as Professor at the University of Guelph.

27. Arranged the importation and development of Russian Stock bees in Ontario.

28.Ontario's mite resistance program has been recognized as the Ontario Model by Mexico, South America and the USDA

29. Advocates clear and transparent labeling regulations.

30. The OBA presents your concerns to the following organizations:

• AGCare (Agricultural Groups Concerned about Resources and the Environment)
• Agricultural Adaptation Council
  
• Canadian Honey Council
• Eastern Apicultural Society
• Ontario Agricultural Commodity Council
• Ontario Agri-Food Network
• Ontario Federation of Agriculture
• Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association

 

Role of the Local Associations:

To provide a forum for networking and education of local beekeepers.

List of Local Associations

Local beekeeping associations are independent of the OBA. We live in such a large province that many beekeepers, especially hobby beekeepers, have found it practical to meet locally to develop their beekeeping skills. Generally not politically active, they have been an excellent forum for their members to take advantage of OBA initiated endeavors such as the various tech transfer projects, the availability of Apistan and formic acid, and the inexpensive public liability insurance. The Provincial Apiarist has often been asked to speak at Local Association meetings and share with them beekeeping techniques and government regulations and concerns.

Role of the Beekeeper:

To manage, enjoy and protect the bees under their care and to produce and process hive products safely.

Role of the Ontario Government:

Click here to learn more about the Role of the Ontario Government.

Our government is a tool of the people to structure a healthy community. It consists of two main components:

1. elected party representatives
2. bureaucracy to carry out assigned mandates

The Ontario Government realizes that, despite the relatively low dollars generated by the hive products in the overall agriculture commodity scene, the pollination services provided by the beekeeping community are crucial to other segments of agriculture. There are also concerns around public safety (bee stings and hive products) and the protection of such a beneficial insect. So the Bees Act was drawn up and the Provincial Apiarist position created to oversee it and to support the development and education of our industry.

The Ontario Government realizes that, despite the relatively low dollars generated by the hive products in the overall agriculture commodity scene, the pollination services provided by the beekeeping community are crucial to other segments of agriculture. There are also concerns around public safety (bee stings and hive products) and the protection of such a beneficial insect. So the Bees Act was drawn up and the Provincial Apiarist position created to oversee it and to support the development and education of our industry.

For the beekeepers, the government establishes and monitors standards for hive products and livestock, standards for chemical/environmental input, and standards for healthy beekeeping practices such as the detection of American Foulbrood and issuing move/sell permits, limiting the spread of diseases. In order to set standards, the government has recognized that it can only fulfill it's role by the beekeepers having a forum to communicate with it. The OBA fulfills this role.

The Ontario Government, in consultation with the OBA and research community, has also provided and/or coordinated research and education dollars and OBA infrastructure support dollars.