BEE CONNECTED WITH B.C. Beekeeping Issues (Friday to Sunday)

BEE CONNECTED WITH B.C. Beekeeping IssuesBeekeepers in British Columbia live in a paradoxical 6me. Never has the craft of bee keeping andproducing honey been more popular. But it also is a time of great challenge and change.Whether it is the con6nuing difficulty of keeping healthy bees, the impacts of wildfires and climatechange, or dealing with the increasing demand for local, fresh and raw honey, B.C.’s hobbyist, sidelinerand commercial beekeepers face both opportuni6es and challenges.That’s why this year’s B.C. Honey Producers’ Association (BCHPA) fall education conference and AnnualGeneral Meeting is so important. The annual event is being held October 25-27 in Vernon, B.C. Overthree days the conference will feature speakers and topics that directly apply to the issues B.C.’sthousands of beekeepers deal with every day.British Columbians, coming off a divisive provincial election, remain split over who should govern theprovince. But for beekeepers, there’s no question of where our industry is going, and who should lead it.For more than a century the BCHPA has been the representative organization that speaks on behalf ofthe province’s more than 4,700 registered apiarists.Our education conference this year will look at practical solutions for growing healthy livestock andqueen bees. The interaction between managed honey bees and wild bees will be discussed. Andinterprovincial and national concerns around the importa6on of honey bee stock, the availability ofimportant bee medicines and best management practices are also on the agenda. Industry leaders,researchers and government officials will be there.B.C.’s beekeeping industry, aided by a robust BCHPA-operated Tech-Transfer program, is a nationalparticipant in areas of honey bee research and management. The conference will look at some of themany innovative efforts being led by BC, Canadian and international researchers to keep Canada’s bees,and beekeepers, strong and healthy.There’s also many opportunities to learn, for new and young and old beekeepers. Our trade show willfeature some of Canada’s eminent equipment and service companies. And our honey show, always acrowd favourite, will feature the province’s best honeys and meads (honey wines).The event is being held at the Prestige Vernon Lodge, 3914 – 32nd, Vernon.For conference and registration details visit https://www.bchpaconference.ca/.For media registration, interviews and more information, please contact:Dan Mawson, First Vice Presidentmedia@bchoneyproducers.ca