Dear Beekeeper:

As the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) strives to improve beekeeping in Florida to make it more successful for everyone,  we have been working together cooperatively with the Citrus Growers in Florida.  This should make beekeeping and citrus production more profitable for everyone, in addition assisting with bee health issues.

Below is a recommendation for you to consider.

Recommendations to Improve Beekeeper and Citrus Grower Cooperation and to Enhance Bee Health and Citrus Production

One of the recommendations from the cooperative agreement is to post apiary locations during possible spray periods of citrus.  Please complete the locations of your apiaries near citrus with geo-coordinates or an address. The information posted to the public will actually be the center of one mile squares. 

Information is available at  http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Agricultural-Envi...

This will accomplish two of the goals of the cooperative agreement –

• ·         Keep the grower informed of hive locations, status, concerns, and be willing to remove hives promptly if the need arises.
• ·         Register hive locations with the FDACS-DPI “Bee Locator” website.  Ensure that the information is accurate and kept current.  . 

Also you can use the website to locate citrus and alternative bee forage.

To expedite this information, and for your convenience, we have attached the document necessary for you to complete FDACS 08496.  Please print it out and either mail it to the attention of David A. Westervelt, Chief Apiarist, 1911 South West 34^th Street, Post Office Box 147100, Gainesville, Florida 32614-7100  or you may e-mail it to  David.Westervelt@FreshFromFlorida.com as an attachment.

We appreciate your cooperation and are here to assist you to help make your beekeeping experience as successful as possible as we ensure to continue to keep the Nation’s valuable honey bee population healthy.

Our best wishes for a profitable 2014.

David A. Westervelt 

David A. Westervelt

Assistant Chief – Apiary Inspection

Division of Plant Industry

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

1911 SW 34^th Street

P O Box 147100

Gainesville, FL 32608-7100

(352) 395-4636

(352) 267-2568 Cell

David.Westervelt!FreshFromFlorida.com