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Kentucky State Apiarist

The Kentucky State Apiarist identifies and eradicates infectious disease in honeybee colonies. In addition, the State Apiarist helps to educate the non-beekeeping public about the importance of honeybees, and offers best advice practice to the beekeeping community. Hive inspections are available with an appointment, and health certificates are provided for the transport of bees out of state. The State Apiarist is also available to speak at beekeeping meetings and various other functions.


Kentucky Pollinator Stakeholder Art Contest

Theme – Pollinators and their Floral Hosts in Kentucky

Contest Winner Photos

    5-8 Year Old Division:
    Artists:
  • 1st place: Wilder Woods, “Kentucky Pollinator Garden,” Lexington, KY 40508
  • 2nd place: Samantha Hafley, “Lots of Pollinators,” Jefferson County
  • 3rd place: Juliana H., “Feed Their Need, Plant Milkweeds,” Lexington, KY 40509
    9-11 Year Old Division:
    Artists:
  • 1st place: Olivia Chandler, “Kentucky Pollinators at Work,” Dixon, KY 42409
  • 2nd place: Domenica Rossi, “Bumble Bee with Pollens on Cherry Tomato Plant,” Lexington, KY 40503
  • 3rd place: Miller Elliot, “Bluegrass Butterflies and Bees,” Worthville, KY 41098
    12-14 Year Old Division:
    Artists:
  • 1st place: Angela Hayes, “The Power of Pollinators,” Madison County
  • 2nd place: Hannah Yochim, “Milkweed for Monarchs,” Bullitt County
  • 3rd place: Lane Kelsay, “Bee Pollination,” Columbia, KY 42728
    15-18 Year Old Division Winners
    Artist:
  • 1st place: Lauren Blank, “Monarch vs. Viceroy Butterfly,” Owensboro, KY 42301
  • 2nd place: Grace Adams, “Hummingbird,” Bethlehem, KY 40007
  • 3rd Place: Meggen Absher, “Kentucky Local Honey,” Nicholasville, KY 40356

Grant opportunities available for Kentucky farmers, restaurants, research institutions

Several grant funding opportunities are open at the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA), Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Ryan Quarles has announced. For more information click here.

Pollinator Protection mapping program

The Pollinator Protection mapping program is now available to beekeepers and pesticide applicators. If you would like to use this program to register your apiaries and/or pesticide spraying applications, please use Chrome, not Internet Explorer. The link is provided on the sidebar. You must register as a user first, then register your apiaries or applications. A video is provided to help you with this process.

Honey Label Review

Beekeepers should send all labels for review in a pdf format for generating print-outs. JPEG files are not recommended because these files are not as printer-friendly with the office equipment for printing out labels. Contact information is listed under the Honey Label Review on the right side of the page.

Asian Giant Hornet Information

Asian Giant Hornets are not in Kentucky, but the Kentucky State Apiarist has set traps to monitor for the appearance of the Asian Giant Hornets.
New Pest Response Guidelines
Pest Alert: Asian Giant Hornet

Standard Operating Procedures for Reporting a Pesticide Kill to Division of Environmental Services

If you suspect a hive has been impacted by pesticide applications, please adhere to the following standard operating procedures that KY Dept. of AGR maintains when collecting samples:

  • First, after beginning a routine inspection, if you suspect that a hive has been impacted by chemicals, go no further and put the hive back together. Leave the area alone and immediately contact KY Dept. of AGR inspectors to arrange a meeting at the following number 1.502.573.0282.
  • Do not take samples. The KY Dept. of AGR inspectors cannot accept samples of bees collected prior to their investigation.
  • The investigator will take a statement from the beekeeper about the possible hive-contamination event. It would assist in the process if the beekeeper has supporting evidence such as photographs of the impacted hive before the chemical spray, video footage, pictures of actual spraying, etc. These items are not mandatory, but highly recommended.
  • As part of preparing a statement, the beekeeper should have the contact information of their neighbors and suspected sources of contamination, the types of plants in bloom in neighboring fields, where potential water sources may be, date of alleged chemical sprays, as well as any information that can help the inspector assess the situation. Being able to brief the KY Dept. of AGR inspector with this information expedites the process of recording a statement.
  • Since inspectors may not be beekeepers, beekeepers should have an extra jacket, a smoker, and be willing to collect samples if the inspectors are either allergic or apprehensive about working a beehive.

Hive and Apiary Inspections

The State Apiarist's Office provides free hive and apiary inspections for Kentucky beekeepers. The State Apiarist will inspect apiaries and hives for the presence of honeybee diseases and pests. Specimens for laboratory examination will be collected if needed. After the inspection the beekeeper will be provided a written report listing any diseases, pests or other problems found and a listing of remedies for correcting these problems. (See The Importance of Late Summer/Early Fall Inspections).

    General Policy for Apiary and Hive Inspections:
  • Beekeeper must be present during requested inspections.
  • Beekeeper will open hives and remove frames for inspections.
  • Attempt will be made to conduct inspections as soon as possible after request but inspection dates and times subject to State Apiarist's schedule.
  • To schedule an apiary and hive inspection, or for more information about this service contact our office.

Grant Opportunities

Start here to find grants that will help you get your beekeeping operation off the ground or take it to the next level:
Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund investment area guidelines
Kentucky Proud Programs

Bee-friendly Wildflowers

Here's a sample plan to show you how affordable it is to raise a bee-friendly wildflower garden.

Kentucky Beekeeping Association Listing and Contacts

Kentucky's beekeeping associations are a great source of beekeeping information and assistance for Kentucky beekeepers. Beekeeping associations hold regularly scheduled meetings and other activities. Contact the individual beekeeping associations for more information (see individual listings). Please check this page often for more information as we will update regularly.

    KSBA Officers

  • President Tom Ballinger
    kyhuntting@gmail.com
  • Vice-President: Joel Gonia
    honeybearfarmsky@gmail.com
  • Secretary: Joe Change
    kybeesecretary@gmail.com
  • Treasurer: Jan Rafert
    jwrafert@gmail.com
  • Webmaster: Rick LeMarr
    webmaster@ksbabeekeeping.org
  • Past President: Mike Mabry
    mabryky@aol.com
  • Board of Director: Tim Sheehan
    tim.sheenhan@icloud.com

Additional Links

  • American Beekeeping Federation
  • Best Management Practices For Bee Health
  • County Agricultural Investment Program (CAIP)
  • Eastern Apicultural Society
  • Extension "Bee Health" webpage
  • Healthy capped brood
  • Heartland Apicultural Society
  • Kentucky Proud At-Cost Item List
  • Kentucky State Beekeepers Association (KSBA)
  • Kids and Bees
  • NRCS Kentucky Pollinator Handbook
  • Mid Atlantic Apiculture Research & Extension Consortium
  • Pesticide Decision-Making Guide
  • Pollinator Partnership
  • Presidential Pollinator Memorandum
  • Regional Honey Report
  • Tools for Varroa Management
  • University of California at Davis Apiculture Newsletter
  • University of Nebraska Department of Entomology
  • University of Minnesota Department of Entomology
  • USDA Bee Lab - Beltsville, Maryland
  • USDA Bee Lab - Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • USDA Bee Lab - Tucson, Arizona
  • USDA Pollination Research - Logan, Utah

FDA Honey Label Guidance

  • Honey Labels Guidance
  • FDA Compliance policy for Honey Labels

Additional Articles

  • Kentucky Beekeeping: A Guide for Beginners
  • What is a Double Screen?
  • Water sources for bees, not mosquitoes
  • Honeybees & Drought
  • Swarming or, what is that ball of bees doing in my tree?

Office of the Kentucky State Veterinarian

Animal Disposal and Rendering
Emergency Management
Equine
  • Equine Export Statistics
  • Equine Herpesvirus 1
  • Equine Infectious Diseases & Emergency Response
  • Equine Infectious Diseases Archive
  • Equine Infectious Anemia
  • Equine Viral Arteritis
  • Importing from CEM Countries
  • Stray or Abandoned Horses
  • West Nile / EEE Summary Information
  • Farmed Cervids
    Honey Bees
  • Pollinator Protection Registration System
  • Livestock
  • Livestock Welfare
  • Livestock Welfare Complaint Form
  • Movement and Identification
    Poultry
    Stockyards and Dealers
    Online Permitting System

      State Apiarist Bio

    • Dr. Tammy Horn Potter
      Kentucky Dept. of Agriculture
      Frankfort, KY
      502-573-0282
      Tammy.Potter@ky.gov
      Dr. Potter's Biography

      Honey Label Review

    • Virginia Hamilton, R.S.
      Food Labeling Compliance Specialist
      Tattoo-Piercing Program Administrator
      KY DPH Food Safety Branch
      275 East Main Street,
      Mail Stop: HS 1C-F
      Frankfort, KY 40621
      (502) 226-0430
      Email:virginia.hamilton@ky.gov

      Additional Contacts

    • Dept. of Environmental Services: 502-573-0282
    • KDA State Veterinarian: 502-782-5901
    • Kentucky Emergency Operations Center (24 hour contact number): 800-255-2587
    • USDA Veterinary Services: 502-848-2040

    Forms & Documents

      Pesticide Applicators Pollinator Notification

    • All pesticide applicators, please note the labels of some products require communication with beekeepers before applying the product.
    • Examples of products with labels requiring communication with beekeepers include, but are not limited to: Actara, Admire Pro, Advise, Agri-Flex, Agri-Mek, Alias, Apta, Bexar, Brigadier, Centric, Couraze, Endigo, Exirel, Flagship, Imidashot, Lada, Leverage, Macho, Malice, Meridian, Midash, Montana, Nuprid 4F, Pasada, Obelisk, Skyraider, Swagger, Tempest Dual-Action, Torac, Voliam-Flex, Belay, Arena, Scorpion, Venom, Certador, Poncho, Zylam.

    KDA Video

    Beekeeping 101: A Guide for Beginners

    State Apiarist Tammy Horn Potter tells beginner beekeepers the four essential tools they need to get started.

    Commissioner Quarles asked Facebook to stop rejecting pages that promote hemp

    Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles told legislators about the conflict with a social media giant.

    Commissioner Quarles talks to WHAS11 about Industrial Hemp in Kentucky

    Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles talked to WHAS11's Chris Williams about the enthusiasm for industrial hemp.

    The Kentucky Hemp Comeback

    Kentucky farmers are exploring industrial hemp, a crop that connects Kentucky’s past to its future. Kentucky businesses are taking that raw material and turning it into products.

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