Source attachment: 2011_01_14_MSBA Minutes v2.doc
Source note: The file name indicates January 14, 2011, while the document header says January 14, 2010. The source discrepancy is preserved in the text below.
Executive Board Meeting Minutes
January 14, 2010, 7:00 PM
Room 4112 of the Plant Sciences Building
Department of Entomology of the University of Maryland, College Park
Attendees:
Paul Dill
Toni Burnham
Beth Passavant
Neil Lewis
Jerry Fischer
Wayne Esaias
Linda Thompson
By Phone:
Steve McDaniel
Sarah Brozena
Janet Bardzik
Karen Cooksey
Oliver Synder
Jerry Worrell
We tried something new with the conference call this time, using Skype and a usb phone. It didn't work perfectly, and many of our phone attendees could not hear.
A new system is being looked into for next time.
Call to Order – MSBA President, Paul Dill - 7:08pm
Approval of the Minutes of Last Meeting - Approved.
Reports by the Officers
Treasurer - Robert Crouse
MSBA has invested in 2 CDs which mature 6 months apart. Please see the Treasurer's Report (also attached to this email) for details.
The George Imirie fund now has a CD individually, to which $25 was added to account for interest which should have accrued.
The new budget will be voted on by the Board at the February Members Meeting. It has been emailed to Board Members with these minutes. Please read it and be ready to vote on Feb 18!! Questions can be directed to Bob Crouse at rlcrouse@qis.net .
Vice-President – Toni Burnham
Programs
February Meeting: February 19 at the Howard County Fairgrounds
Dr. Beth Capaldi-Evans of Bucknell: Key Speaker
Beeline Editor - Toni Burnham
Volunteers are needed to help with newsletter!! You don't have to be an expert writer, just willing to write or edit! Contact Toni at toni@tonitoni.org !
At the February membership meeting, a table will be set up to recruit for newsletter and other volunteers. Any board members who have ideas for other tasks that could be assigned or who would like to be volunteer coordinator, please contact Cheryl Evry.
Karen Cooksey has agreed to be the continuing VP for Charles County. Thanks Karen!
The Honey Festival will be held September 17, 2011.
Special Committees Reports
Honey Standards Study Committee
It was moved and unanimously voted to shelve this committee. There does not seem to be a need for it at this time.
Advanced Beekeeping Committee - Pat Haskell
Accounting Policy Committee - Pat Haskell
At the last meeting, a motion to put an accounting policy and procedure in place before lending MSBA Official Sponsorship of any event not solely organized by MSBA unanimously approved. This policy shall clearly detail the fiscal responsibilities of all parties involved. If there are other responsibilities, such as providing volunteer labor or loaning equipment, these shall also be described.
Pat Haskell did not make it to the meeting due to not receiving the directions in time. This was unacceptable, and she has been apologized to. Changes for the next meeting shall include a contact phone number being emailed early and often that board members can call the night of the meeting for last minute directions.
Janet Bardzik offered to supply input on Advanced Beekeeping courses in a future email.
Continuing Business
ETO chamber progress - Toni Burnham
There has been excellent progress on the ETO chamber. Thanks to MDA and NC, we have much of the technical data needed to fill out the paperwork. Operators and suppliers are being identified.
The license would nominally cost several hundred dollars to operate such a chamber. This may be able to be waived, and this possibility is being looked into. Also being researched are future costs and liabilities this chamber might bring to MSBA, and whether MSBA needs to own this resource, or would be better off just renting it.
Thank you to Mark Hoffman and Toni Burnham for their tireless work on this project.
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MSBA Website Work - Toni Burnham
The website name mdbeekeepers.org has been acquired. This address will be redirected to the msbeea.org website in the future. The cost of the web hosting is covered for the first year, and will be approximately $7 a month after that.
Jon, Beth and Toni are working on the new site. Jon is sending copies of all of the current website files for the group to use.
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MSBA could offer to jointly sponsor EAS if it is held in the DC area in 2013.
Janet Bardzik, our EAS director, is looking into this.
It was agreed that MSBA could not take the lead in running the EAS meeting, but we could offer assistance or partnership with whichever group was running the show. An agreement would need to be drawn up stating what was expected from each party for this arrangement to be successful.
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Do we want to accept advertising on the MSBA website?
The website is not currently set up to accept advertising.
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Which MSBA persons representing MSBA at other beekeeping conferences and meetings should be reimbursed for expenses, and how much that reimbursement should be. The two types of conference under discussion are EAS and Maryland Farm Bureau.
From Bob Crouse:
Marc Hoffman has agreed to go to OC this me as the MD Farm Bureau Delegate. He said that we only needed to be there for 2 days as we have nothing to present. I have sent in money for a $70 double occ. room for Monday nite and for two meals ($39 ea.) for the Monday evening Banquet as Marc said that is when you meet people. He understands that if the Board wishes we will pay back to MSBA the Banquet money. All other expenses we expect to pay.
Moved and unanimously accepted to reimburse Bob as noted above. Noted that such reimbursement can be made at a board meeting, but that there is also a list of protocols MSBA has agreed to for such things. Cheryl will look through the MSBA electronic records and send out these protocols when found.
Note that travel and other expenses for attendance at these other functions is included in the line item “Business Expenses” in the 2011 Proposed Budget.
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New Business
The Maryland Dept of Agriculture is currently asking for comments on a new bill to define what "local" means in terms of selling Ag products in the state. The time period for comments close on January 18, 2011. The information can be found at the following web address on the MD Dept of Ag webpage http://www.mda.state.md.us/article.php?i=29369
Comments may be sent to Mark Powell, Chief of Marketing, Maryland Department of Agriculture, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401, or call 410-841-5775 or email PowellMS@mda.state.md.us, or fax to (410) 841-5957.
Thanks to Ben Cooper for the heads-up on this.
Toni composed a letter on this issue. With the included changes suggested by the board, it was moved and unanimously accepted that Toni send this letter to MDA on behalf of MSBA.
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Status of Kim Flottum's request for BMP documents
The MSBA BMP will be sent to Kim Flottum.
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Do we have nominees for ABF delegates? Maryland may select two delegates for ABF events.
Due to a wrong address, the MSBA ABF dues were not paid. Once they are paid, delegates will be selected.
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Each year the Eastern Apiculture Society gives the Divelbiss Award to that person, or husband-wife team, who has—over a period of years—reached the non-beekeeping public to teach about the values of honey bees in our lives.
Each year you are asked to nominate someone, not necessarily from your own state, who would be a candidate for this award.
The MSBA board voted and made a Nomination for this award. Good luck to all the candidates!
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Bob Crouse and Marc Hoffman attended the MD Farm Bureau (MFB) meeting. Their report is Appendix B of these minutes, and Board Members are encouraged to read it.
An excerpt: The primary benefit of our going was that we were there and seen. It’s important for the MSBA to be considered a part of the farming community, get to know the leaders, and for people to be comfortable with us so we’re not just calling them when we need them.
From the Maryland Farm Bureau Website:
The Maryland Farm Bureau’s leadership and staff work tirelessly to make sure government officials at all levels understand the impact that new laws and regulations have on your farming operation.
MSBA is getting more involved with MFB because while beekeeping is a part of farming, even backyard beekeeping. There is a beekeeping section in the MD Farm Bureau Policy 2010, found at http://www.mdfarmbureau.com/Files/PDFs/MFBPolicy2010.pdf:
BEEKEEPING
MDA should give regulatory approval to effective miticide products used to protect
beehives. ’07
Honeybee populations have been dwindling as the result of mite infestations, weather
conditions and other unknown factors. Funding should be provided and enhanced for additional
research and staffing to assist beekeepers and others in overcoming these challenges, to ensure
adequate honeybee populations in the future. ’09
There should be no laws or regulations that prevent or discourage the keeping of
honeybees and other pollinators in an area unless it is determined that the beekeeper is not using
best management practices. ’08
Something we could work towards is a law for MD like the West Virginia Beekeeper Immunity law, giving beekeepers immunity from liability for ordinary negligence.
The text of this law is in Appendix A. Board Members are asked to please read this. If the Board approves, getting a law like this for Maryland will be our top priority for 2011 with regards to the MFB!!
Board members should seriously consider attending MD Farm Bureau Meetings locally, and even joining MFB in their local county. And encouraging the members in their county to attend! With plenty of beekeeping attendees at these meetings (as well as the state meetings), MSBA will be better heard not only by the Farm Bureau, but also by our legislators. Meeting dates can be found at http://www.mdfarmbureau.com/ScheduleofEvents.asp
Date(s) for Next Meetings
May 13, 2011
October 14, 2011
Appendix A
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
for
H. B. 4527
(By Delegates Morgan, C. Miller, Canterbury, Williams and Campbell)
(Originating in the Committee on the Judiciary.]
[February 26, 2010]
A BILL to amend and reenact §19-13-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to limiting the liability of apiary owners and operators.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §19-13-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 13. INSPECTION AND PROTECTION OF AGRICULTURE.
§19-13-4. Registration of bees; identification of apiaries.
(a) All persons keeping bees in this state shall apply for a certificate of registration for bee keeping from the commissioner, within ten days of the date that bees are acquired, by notifying the commissioner, in writing, of the number and location of colonies they own or rent, or which they keep for someone else, whether the bees are located on their own property or someone else's property. All apiary certificates of registration expire on December 31, of each year and must be renewed annually.
(b) All persons owning or operating an apiary which is not located on their own property must post the name and address of the owner or operator in a conspicuous place in the apiary.
(c) A person who:
(1) owns and operates an apiary;
(2) is registered with the Commissioner; and
(3)operates the apiary in good faith, in a reasonable manner and in conformance with best management practices,
is not liable for any personal injury or property damage that occurs in connection with the keeping and maintaining of bees, bee equipment, queen breeding equipment, apiaries and appliances.
Appendix B
Report to MSBA on the 2010 Maryland Farm Bureau Convention
Clarion Fontainebleau Hotel, Ocean City, Md. Dec. 5-7, 2010
by Bob Crouse and Marc Hoffman
Bob Crouse, MSBA Treasurer, and Marc Hoffman represented MSBA at the 2010 annual convention of the Maryland Farm Bureau (MFB). MSBA is an affiliate member of MFB, which entitles us to attend quarterly board meetings, at which we may speak but not vote, and attend the annual convention, at which we are entitled to 2 voting delegates. MFB has chapters in every county, and a PAC that supported 110 candidates in the recent election, 102 of whom won.
Buddy Hance, the current Secretary of Agriculture, is a past MFB president. Secretary Hance spent several hours at the convention.
We chose to attend the 2nd and 3rd days of the convention, which included: workshops, banquet; exhibit hall, plenary sessions with speakers and voting on policy statements, and lots of time to get to know the other delegates.
The primary benefit of our going was that we were there and seen. It’s important for the MSBA to be considered a part of the farming community, get to know the leaders, and for people to be comfortable with us so we’re not just calling them when we need them. Another benefit was learning about MFB’s primary concerns. Farm issues are often not covered well in the major press. We heard a lot of bad news about the Md. and Federal budget problems, which will require a lot of strategic rethinking in the farm community. A third was learning about their organizational procedures so that we can propose policy recommendations for the 2011 convention.
We had a productive conversation with the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture about the ETO chamber and about the MDA mailing. The ETO conversation resulted in some concrete agreements on how to proceed, and a letter is being prepared by Marc to send to her following up on the conversation. Other conversations with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Dean of Agriculture at UMD, the head of Maryland Cooperative Extension, the presidents of many of the county farm bureaus, and the staff of MFB should make future cooperation easier. One of the speakers (by video) was the head lobbyist of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF, the national organization of Farm Bureaus), who has taken the Montgomery County beekeeping short course.
MFB has a strategic policy process, geared to the Maryland legislature’s schedule, which enables their 2 lobbyists to speak for their membership and be effective in securing legislation. AFBF has a similar process for input into national policy. The MFB process involves soliciting suggestions from the county farm bureaus early in the year, and putting each suggestion to a vote at the annual convention. There is a section on beekeeping in their policy document, which urges full funding for
research, permission to use chemicals for mite reduction, and advocates that all counties encourage beekeeping.
Recommendations:
Continue our involvement with MFB, including attending quarterly board meetings, going to MFB Annapolis Day, where they lobby the legislature, and going to the Washington Drive In, where MFB members meet Maryland congress people and their staffs. HYPERLINK "http://www.mdfarmbureau.com/ScheduleofEvents.asp"http://www.mdfarmbureau.com/ScheduleofEvents.asp Attend the annual Md. Agriculture Council ( HYPERLINK "http://www.mdagcouncil.com/"http://www.mdagcouncil.com/) banquet.
Begin considering what our highest priorities are so that we can begin working with their strategic process, which begins early in the year.
Provide Maryland honey for the 2011 convention breakfasts with a sign that acknowledges us as the providers.
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Maryland State Beekeepers Assoc, Inc.
Dedicated to beekeeping in Maryland since 1908
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