Apiary Draft Rulemaking Public Hearing

Division / Program: Animal and Plant Health
Date: April 29, 2019
Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Cumberland County Cooperative Extension Office, 75 Clearwater Dr #104, Falmouth, ME 04105
Event Type: Public Comment, Public Meeting/Hearing

CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE: Chapter 270 Maine Apiary Rules and Regulations

BRIEF SUMMARY: The purpose of the Apiary Program is to prevent the introduction and/or spread of regulated honey bee diseases, parasites, and undesirable genetic material in resident and migratory honey bee colonies, as well as encourage and maintain interstate movement of honey bees for crop pollination and honey production. Proposed changes to the current rules include:

  1. Defining and clarifying terms within the rules.
  2. Deregulate well established pests that are currently regulated, including the varroa mite and European foulbrood.
  3. Adding pests and diseases of honey bees to the regulated pest list that do not currently exist in the United States but have the potential to be very harmful to the State of Maine Beekeeping industry.
  4. Clarify areas of the current rule that are unclear and/or burdensome to beekeepers including the follow sections: Regulation, Possession and Sale, Abatement Procedures and Inspection.
  5. Increase the apiary registration fee. The current fee schedule was first adopted in 1985 and has never been increased.

Date, time and location of PUBLIC HEARINGS (if any): 5-7pm Monday April 29, 2019 Cumberland County Cooperative Extension Office, 75 Clearwater Dr #104, Falmouth, ME 04105 and 5-7pm Thursday May 2, 2019 Maine DOT Region 4, Blue Building, 219 Hogan Road, Bangor, ME 04401

COMMENT DEADLINE: Monday May 13, 2019

CONTACT PERSON FOR THIS FILING (include name, mailing address, telephone, fax, TTY, e-mail): Jennifer Lund, 28 SHS, Augusta, ME 04333-0028, Phone 287-7562, Fax 624-7548 jennifer.lund@maine.gov

Contact Name: Jennifer Lund
Contact Phone: 207-287-7562
Contact Email: jennifer.lund@maine.gov
Website: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/php/apiary/

Related Documents

Draft Proposed Rules for Chapter 270 - Maine Apiary Rules and Regulations (PDF)

Rulemaking Fact Sheet (PDF)