# For NY. bee keepers to read.



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Alan Harman






Empire State Honey Producers Association wins a three-year $59,000 federal grant to help New York beekeepers stop the loss of honey bee colonies in the state.


The association will provide matching funds.


*The money is to be used to fund training for beekeepers to not only prevent, diagnose, and treat honeybee maladies and also to teach beginning beekeepers to recognize bee diseases.* 
The directors of the grant, Pat Bono of Rochester , and Peter Borst of Ithaca , in conjunction with the association, will implement a bold, new concept for New York beekeepers by partnering with many regional beekeeping groups throughout the state. Workshops will be held at several locations.


Among the many goals of the program, Bono and Borst include the retention of beginning beekeepers, as there is an increase in the number of new beekeepers, especially by women.


With successful beekeeping, these beginning beekeepers would be less apt to quit the profession, and will help attract and encourage new beekeepers, who constitute the next generation of pollinators and honey producers.


âThis grant will allow beekeepers to learn and identify honey bee diseases,â association president Greg Kalicin says. âThe knowledge that the trainers acquire will continue to benefit New York beekeepers for many years.â


A successful program in New York State is also seen as serving as a model and example for other states in the New England and Snow Belt region.


The grant is administered by the USDA-NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, which provides funding to support training, education, outreach, and technical assistance initiatives for beginning farmers or ranchers.


Honey bees pollinate about $300 million in value of New York State crops, such as apples, berries, squash, pumpkins, and grapes.


Penn State Senior Extension Associate Dennis VanEnglesdorp is enthusiastic about the potential of the USDA funding.


* âIt doesn't matter if you keep two or 100s of hives â keeping bees is one of the most relaxing and fascinating occupations,â he says.

* VanEnglesdorp, project director of the Bee Informed Partnership, an extension project that endeavors to decrease the number of managed honey bee colonies that die over the winter, says unfortunately keeping bees alive isn't that easy, and it seems to be getting harder all the time.


âProjects like this one are exactly what we need to help keep colonies alive and so ensure we have the pollinators needed to pollinate our gardens and orchards,â he says.



 Al


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## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

I,m in mn but can I teach the grand kids , and get some of the cash eep::buds::hammer:


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