Kentucky hosts regional beekeepers conference

KAN staff report

Beekeeping experts from throughout the United States and Canada will address beekeepers from nine Midwestern states at the Heartland Apiculture Society’s seventh annual conference July 12-14 at Kentucky State University in Frankfort.

“I’m proud that Kentucky is hosting this major regional conference,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “The beekeeping industry faces some serious issues, such as colony loss, pests and disease. This conference will bring some of the best minds in the industry to show participating beekeepers how to protect their hives and maximize their production.”

The conference will consist of classroom presentations by some of the country’s leading apiculture university researchers and scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Bee Lab. Some of the out-of-state speakers will include Dr. Clarence Collison of Mississippi State University, Dr. Dewey M. Caron of the University of Delaware and Dr. James Tew of The Ohio State University. The conference also will include hands-on work with live honeybees. A temporary apiary with working bee hives is established at the conference each year so participants can learn actual beekeeping with bees. Spanish-language beekeeping classes will be offered.

Kentucky speakers will include Dr. Thomas Webster, apiculture Extension specialist at KSU and co-founder of the society; Dr. Tammy Horn of Berea College, and Kent Williams of Wingo, president-elect of the Kentucky State Beekeepers Association.

The Heartland Apiculture Society is a multi-state organization for beekeeper education. Its annual conference will come to Kentucky for the second time. It was held in Midway in 2003.

For more information, contact Kentucky State Apiarist Phil Craft at (502) 564-3956 or phil.craft@ky.gov or go to www.heartlandbees.com.