State grants to pay for bees
Toolbox
By Peter Hirschfeld Vermont Press Bureau - Published: October 2, 2009
MONTPELIER – Aspiring apiarists are getting a little nudge from the government as state and federal officials seek to replenish honeybee populations decimated in some regions by parasites and other afflictions.
Armed with $8,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Vermont is luring would-be beekeepers into the pastime by offering to fund 50 percent of start-up costs. Steve Parise, an apiarist for the Vermont Department of Agriculture, says that while the state's honeybee population has remained stable over the past half-decade, fruit and vegetable crops in some regions would benefit from larger populations of the tiny pollinators.
"On a local level, there are lots of areas where we have no presence of commercial beekeepers and there haven't been high numbers of bees historically," Parise says. "We've also seen a decline in native pollinators – particularly bumblebees – so while it's true that hive numbers have been stable here, there certainly are areas where we're lacking."
Parise says the Northeast Kingdom and portions of eastern Vermont suffer from particularly low populations of honeybees. Vermont has remained relatively immune from a mysterious affliction – dubbed Colony Collapse Disorder – that has devastated honeybee populations elsewhere. But persisting problems with parasites, namely varroa mites, and a bad weather season for bees, Parise says, means Vermont could use some more honeybees.
Vermont has a relatively modest honey industry. About 1,700 registered beekeepers care for more than 10,000 hives. In 2008, according to a study by Parise, they produced three-quarters of a million pounds of honey valued at just under $1 million. The revenue comprises only a small sliver of Vermont's agriculture business, but the bees' value extends beyond the honey they produce. The state's fruit and vegetable crops, experts say, rely heavily on the presence of the bees.
The grants are available to Vermonters who want to start raising honeybees. A 5-0/50 match is required and a maximum reimbursement of $200 is available for one colony or $400 for two.
Applicants must provide proof of purchase for equipment and bees. Funds are limited and will be disbursed on a first-come, first-served basis to those who qualify. Other restrictions apply in regards to eligibility, workshop attendance and record keeping.
Applications are available on the Web at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture Web site (www.vermontagriculture.com) or the Vermont Beekeepers Association Web site (www.vtbeekeepers.org)
For additional information, contact Kim Greenwood: kimgreenwood@gmavt.net; or Steve Parise, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets: steve.parise@state.vt.us (802) 828-2436.
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