FLORIDA STATE BEEKEEPERS

ASSOCIATION ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

October  28, 2006

Santa  Rosa County Auditorium, Milton, FLORIDA

Elmore Herman, President, called the Annual business meeting to order at 8:45 AM.

Associations In attendance:  Escarosa, Central Florida, Tupelo, Tampa Bay, Ridge, North Escambia, Northeast Florida Honey Bee Assn, South Florida.  Not present, Tri-County, Hernando and Palm Beach.

David Webb
Bert Kelley
Bill Bonifay
Edward K. Peach
Wayne Miller
Jerry Turner
Gary Ranker
Richard Semmes
Laurence Cutts
Doc Bullard
Chester Capers
Carol Parker
Nancy Gentry
Jean Vasicek
Keith Councell
Don Anderson
Steve Gemesi
Carl  Clark
J.J. Tilton
Bill Merritt
Sylvia Bullard
Sergei Svetleachni
Elmore Herman
David Miksa
Linda Miksa
Andy Miksa
David Mendes
Charles King

Reading of the minutes of the last meeting in St. Augustine as printed in the Milton, FL program and on the World Wide Web at http://floridabeekeepers.org.   Motion to accept as published and read at the convention by Doc Bullard, (Seconded by Jerry Turner).  Passed.

President’s Report:  A hectic year with a good many events.  Attended both the Honey Bee Technical Council and the revamped Plant Industry Technical Council meetings.  The latter was mostly about citrus, however, apiculture was dominant over other commodities.  This committee will now meet four (4)  times a year.  There was discussion about how to find out when there is a meeting.  Should come out from Division of Plant Industry via Richard Gaskalla or Jerry Hayes.

 

Attended the National Honey Board Nominating Committee (NHNC) meeting in Houston.  Elmore’s tenure will expire after one more term;  Florida needs to submit two possible members, one of which will be appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture.  Those appointed to the NHNC then submit nominations for the Honey Board (NHB) itself.  The next NHNC  meeting is believed to  be scheduled for Orlando next year.

 

The special Spring meeting in Seffner was a disappointment because of low attendance.  This meeting was not well publicized even though the President sent out an invitation to every registered Florida beekeeper.  It also conflicted with a holiday and the President fell ill and could not attend.  There was discussion about another possible meeting next year;  shooting for June 9, 2007.

 

Attended  the 6th year running at Epcot Center.  Attendance was lower than in prior years.  This will be  the last year the National  Honey Board participates at that venue. Discussion of moving  it to Busch Gardens or Sea World.  Discussion of effectiveness of the event and reasons for it being abandoned at Epcot.

 

Discussion of citrus pollination and how it relates to the California situation with reference to mandarin oranges.   Will keep a close eye on this important situation.

 

Vice President’s Report:  David Webb said the visit by 18 beekeepers to Tallhassee on legislative day sponsored by the Florida farm bureau was a success.  A slide show on pollination by Vice President Webb and other contacts netted another $300,000 in research funds.  There continues to be concern that the money is not being appropriated for important concerns, especially funds designated for first responder education and public relations due to Africanized honey bees, when the major problem for Florida beekeepers in mite control.  A letter from Jerry Hayes passed out at the meeting revealed that the most money being allocated in the research program was for three projects at the present time:  Education and Training with the University of Florida ($110,000), Varroa genetic  resistance with Dr. Glenn Hall ($75,000), problems with  migratory beekeepers with Dr. Tom Webster ($31,000) and additional miticide delivery technologies with Dr. Amrine ($30,000).  In order to gather more information on possible research initiatives, Vice-President Webb passed out a questionnaire/survey asking those present what was their major beekeeping challenge.

 

Bill Merritt, Chairman of the Honey Bee  Technical Council, said that the research monies belonged not to the Association, but the Division of Plant Industry (DPI).  DPI is only influenced by recommendations  from the Council, but in the end must make the decision on how to allocate the funds.

 

Contact with the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) netted an article in the Association’s Online publication, The Florida Harvester, on the Florida State Beekeepers Association as a member.  July 2006 <http://www.ffva.com/publications/harvester/JUl06_COVER.asp>.  There was no representative  to the FFVA’s national meeting this year (September).

 

Conrad Cramer Memorial Apiary Report:  Three current managers of the apiary, Jerry Turner, Lee Del Signore and Elmore Herman  reported an aggregate income of $4,217.37. 

 

The nominations committee (Laurence Cutts, Don Smiley and Bill Merritt).  It nominated Elmore Herman for President, however, a nomination from the floor (Jerry Turner) of David Webb caused a runoff election, won by President Herman with 21 votes to  David  Webb’s  5.  David Webb was installed as Vice President for another year and Bert Kelley was continued  as the Association’s treasurer.

 

The Treasurer’s report showed  a $17,183.90 at the close  of the books.  Thus, this year there is a more like $14,000 to work with as  opposed to $5,000 last year.  The following was reported:

 

                        Income             Expenditure       Difference (rounded off)

 

Dues                $1875                                       $1875

Research          $2496               $4000               $1504

Convention        $7277               $2946               $4330

State Fair          $10605              $6343               $4261

Newsletter/

Program           $2505               $2857               ($352.09)

Apiaries            $5836               $1622               $4217

Promotion         $1309               $468                 $840

Co-op               $2450                                       $2450

 

The co-op funds are not available; this is an escrow fund provided by contributions from those interested in the co-op concept and will be used only when approved  by the contributors.

 

At  the convention there  were 66 registrants, 52 paid  for the banquet and the auction brought in $17630.

 

Bill Bonifay as head of  the auditing committee reported the books in order.  Motion by Wayne Miller, seconded Edward Peach that Treasurer’s report be accepted. Passed.

 

Executive Secretary/Webmaster  Report:

 

Newsletters:  4 (four) issues January, March, July, September (Convention Issue) published.  Currently 405 total mailed; first class $.63,  Cost approaching:  $630/issue

Membership:                           Active 2004                 58

                                                Active 2005                 59

                                                Active 2006                 121

                                                Active 2007                 3

                                                Active 2009                 1

                                                Advertisers                   25

                                                Inspectors                    15

                                                Extra Milers                  7

                                                Complimentary 13

                                                Life Members               84

                                                Provisional                    13

           

4,000 copies of flyer published last year at cost of  $307; suggestion that two thousand more be published this year.  See it on the web at http://floridabeekeepers.org under “Member.”  The Yahoo.com FSBA list has 78 subscribers; use of e-mail for association business is continuing.  Executive Secretary attempting  to remain in touch with local Assocations; latest is the resurfacing of  the Palm Beach Association under the leadership of Ute  Hartman.  No one in Milton representing this association.  Finally, the Executive Secretary has signed the Association up at http://freeconferencecall.com/ , phone (319) 256-0500, access code 201541 followed by #.  There was a conference call done by the Board of Managers (no quorum; no minutes) on 6/21/06 and also by those planning the convention on 8/10/06.

 

 

Gary Ranker reported that ads of $2600 had been sold  this year for the bulletin/newsletter and  that a total  of $3900 had been  brought in to sponsor breaks.

 

Nancy Gentry reported on the activities of the Northeast Florida Honey Bee  Association, which now boasts 75 members.  The association produces a monthly newsletter and is in the process of developing a packet of information for new members.  The Associations has sponsored short courses in the past and will have a Regional  Honey Appreciation Day  December 9, beginning 9:30 a.m. at the Clay County  Agricultural Center, limited  to 100 persons.  Registration Fee is $12.50 per person or $15.00 per family.  Make check out to NEFHBA and send to Treasurer, 3 Forrest St., Green Cove Springs, FL 32043.

 

Discussion of amending the constitution and bylaws.  The committee, Laurence Cutts, Mikie Westervelt and Calvin Wilcox, has proposed a number of changes  to the above documents.  These will be provided to the membership in accordance with the stipulations in the current documents.

 

Bert Kelley asked for volunteers to participate in the state fair February 18-19, 2007 at the fairgrounds in Tampa <http://www.floridastatefair.com/state_fair.asp>.

 

Discussion of the Association participating in March for Farm Bureau Legislative Day.  Vice-President David Webb will coordinate this activity.

 

Motion to adjourn by Doc Bullard, seconded by Wayne Miller,  passed.  Meeting adjourned 11:25 a.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Malcolm T. Sanford

Executive Secretary