MSBA Annual Meeting 2023

Bucksport Middle School on Saturday, October 21st

Hosted by Tri-County Beekeepers Club

Speakers at this year’s conference are Paul Kelly, manager of the Honey Bee Research Centre at the University of Guelph, Ontario; Sierra Shaw, a food preparation inspector for the Department of Agriculture; and Maine State Apiarist Jennifer Lund will present the “State of the State” address.

The Annual Meeting is a full day of learning, camaraderie and fun. Meet beekeepers from all over the state and hear talks by prominent speakers. The event will include vendor booths, buffet luncheon, blind honey tasting contest and a fundraising raffle auction of bee-related items. Recipients of Beekeeper of the Year, Junior Beekeeper of the Year and other achievement awards will be recognized, and members will vote on nominees for open positions on the Board of Directors in a brief business meeting. Proceeds from the meeting are used for printing and mailing of the Bee Line newsletter; Zoom account subscription for hosting webinars; MSBA and chapter website maintenance/hosting; and contributions to the EAS Foundation for Honey Bee Research.

2023 PROGRAM:

8:00 – 8:50 – Registration/vendors, raffle ticket sales

8:50 – 9:00 – Welcome by MSBA President Judith Stanton

9:00 – 10:30 – Paul Kelly: “Single Brood Chamber Management.” In the last 25 years Ontario has shifted from 5% single brood chamber colonies to 75% singles. Most of us formerly thought this wouldn’t work – we are now believers!

10:30 – 10:45 – Break

10:45 – 11:30 –Sierra Shaw: “Honey Bottling: Rules and Regulations in Maine.” This presentation will cover the licensing application and checklist, labeling rules, requirements for surfaces in the home and commercial kitchen setting, retail and wholesale abilities with the licenses and general food safety knowledge for honey processors. She will answer questions and share experiences with the licensing of honey and home foods.

11:30 – 12:00 – Business Meeting, excellence in beekeeping awards, board of director elections.

Meet the Nominees

12:00 – 1:15 – Buffet lunch

1:15 – 1:45 – Jennifer Lund: “State of the State Address,” a review of Jen’s observations over the past year of travel and inspections around Maine, and a summary of the 2022-2023 Beekeepers Survey.

1:45 – 2:00 – Break; last chance to buy raffle tickets

2:00 – 3:30 – Paul Kelly: “Regional Self Sufficiency in Ontario Beekeeping.” In 1990 Canada closed its border to the import of US package bees. Beekeepers in Ontario adapted by learning to raise queens, breed bees and replace winter losses.

3:30 – 5:00 – Honey Tasting Contest awards, raffle auction winners, and closing