Photo Credit: Edwin Remsburg
BEGINNING FARMER SUCCESS Spring 2019
Maryland’s Laws for Raising Honey Bees By: Paul Goeringer, University of Maryland
In This Issue: Maryland’s Laws for
It’s that time of year when we start to think about all the joys of Raising Honey Bees spring: warm rains, flowers blooming, and—if you’re thinking about Pg 1-2 raising honey bees—shopping for your “nuc!” Honey bees are vital to the health of Maryland’s agricultural industry, and many farmers also see the honey and beeswax as potential additional revenue To Be or Not to Be a sources. Because of their importance to agriculture, however, most Farmers Market Vendor states, including Maryland, have comprehensive laws aimed at Pg 3 maintaining honey bee health, which the state takes very seriously. In fact, violation of Maryland’s laws is a misdemeanor crime. So, before Upcoming Events you buy your brood, make sure you understand what’s required under the law to keep honey bees in Maryland. Pg 4 Maryland’s Department of Agriculture (MDA) is the agency responsible for approving the movement of honey bee colonies into Maryland. A person may not ship or transport into the state any colony or used bee equipment that is not accompanied by a valid inspection certificate issued by an authorized apiary inspector of the state of origin of the colony or equipment. Any colony or bee that is transported into the state without the required documentation will be restricted to an area that the MDA designates, and could be destroyed by MDA at the owner’s expense if not removed from the state within 24 hours after being notified by the Department.
Events of Interest Staying Connected Pg 5
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Everyone who keeps honey bees must provide access for MDA to inspect each colony, and must register each colony with MDA within 30 days of receiving the colony, and then on or before January 1st every year thereafter. There is no fee to inspect or register a hive, but the registration certificate is not transferable. For a registration form, go to http:// mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/Pages/ apiary_inspection.aspx.
In addition to the state laws for beekeeping, you will also want to check with your county and city about what restrictions they may have for beekeeping. For example, Frederick County’s zoning ordinance requires that the apiary not be less than 10 feet from any lot line, a water supply must be provided to minimize honeybees from seeking water off-site, and the apiary must be located behind a solid fence, hedge or other barrier that’s at least six feet tall, runs parallel to the property line and extends 10 feet beyond the During inspections, among other things, MDA will apiary in each direction. make sure that the honey house is clean and sanitary, the rooms are well ventilated, and And finally, if you are going to employ one or there is sufficient lighting with protection over more persons in the beekeeping, you must file exposed food zones to protect from product with MDA a Certificate of Compliance with the adulteration. They will also look to make sure State Workmen’s Compensation Laws or provide that there is an easily-accessible and adequate MDA a workmen’s compensation policy number water supply for the honey processing room, and or binder number as evidence of insurance. that when honey is extracted, the honey house is Beekeeping is a growing source of income in used only for the extracting, processing, packing, Maryland.It also provides an important service to or handling of honey. In addition, openings to Maryland’s agriculture.Just be sure you don’t get the outside in the extracting and packing rooms stung by not understanding Mayland’s laws for must be screened and kept in good repair. And, beekeeping. in each colony, a beekeeper must provide moveable frames, each of which can be removed from the colony without causing damage to the combs in the colony, and honey can only be extracted from capped combs with no bee brood or larva from a wax moth or small hive beetle. If you’re going to be transporting a bee colony through Maryland, each colony must be screened or covered at all times and the operator of the motor vehicle transporting the bees must operate the vehicle’s motor at all times unless refueling in order to keep the bees from being agitated or unless the bees are enclosed in a refrigerated section of the vehicle that’s kept at 45 degrees Fahrenheit. A motor vehicle containing bees may not be operated more than one mile from any interstate highway.
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To be or Not to Be a Farmers Market Vendor-
Is that your Question? Ginger Myers, University of Maryland Extension My apologies to William Shakespeare for mangling the opening phrase of a soliloquy spoken by Prince Hamlet in Shakespeare’s play by the same name. But, as producers start drawing up their marketing plans for 2019, market vendors are questioning whether sales from farmers markets are still truly profitable.
convenient. Customers have to make a special stop to buy only on certain days and at certain times. Usually they cannot purchase all their shopping needs at the market so still must shop at another food outlet. Not all vendors accept electronic payments, requiring customers to bring cash or visit an ATM before coming to the market. While there have been herculean An agency marketing person declared to me recently, efforts to make fresh produce and fruits available to “Farmers Markets in Maryland are dead”. At the risk food-insecure populations, much less effort has been of misappropriating another literary quote, Mark Twain to deliver the message of why shop at a farmers said,“ The reports of my death are greatly market to target groups such as Millennials or those exaggerated”. with higher disposable incomes. There is no doubt however, farmers market sales have So why should producers even consider joining a been on a downward slide. I track market sales in farmers market in 2019? Though the numbers are Maryland and found that sales were noticeably off in important, sometimes they don’t show the whole the latter part of the 2016 market season picture. Farmers markets can still be an excellent particularly in the urban cusp markets. Sales started component in your total marketing strategy if you out brisk in 2017 but stalled after the July 4th holiday, plan to: ironically just when summer’s bounty was hitting the market. Sales never really took off in 2018 and with 1. Connect with your long-time customers and provide the same quality products they’ve purchased in the past. As the number of rainy day markets, the vendors in my loyal customers, ask them to tell they’re family and survey reported sales for the season down from 10% friends about the market and the excellent products you to 40%. This seemed to be statewide. That may not sell there. seem to be a lot in most cases, unless sales from 2. Collect sign-ups and contact information for your email newsletter list. Social media is great, but you don’t own farmers markets are the farm’s primary income your content. An email marketing list gives you a chance source. So what happened to sales? The Farmers Market Coalition reports that there were more than 8,500 farmers market in the US in 2016-50% more than just five years earlier. With increased purchasing opportunities, perhaps the better question is what happed to consumer attendance and purchases at the markets? Most marketing surveys tell us that consumers are looking for two major attributes when purchasing almost anything- choices (related to quality) and convenience. Farmers markets can be challenged to provide these two attributes consistently. Farmers markets and supporting agencies have done a good job getting out the call to “Buy Local”. Other retail food outlets have not let this marketing momentum pass them by. Food shoppers can now find fresh, local produce and fruits in their grocery store, health food store, local market, delivered to their door, in a prepared meal kit, in a CSA box, or through a buying club. These outlets have increased the total sales of locally produced foods but have become an alternative shopping experience to attending a farmers market. By–in-large- shopping at a farmers market is not
to connect directly with customers, even after market season has ended. 3. Use the market to test new product acceptance or learn new food trends from your customers. This is real-time market research that you can conduct while still making sales. Do customers walk right by your booth, look at your product but move on, or are there certain items that always draw customers to your booth? Observe what customers are silently telling you about your booth or product display and make changes as needed. 4. See how other vendors display, package, or vary their product offering. Look and learn. 5. Be on the lookout for other community events or sales opportunities you might join in. 6. Get your promotional materials directly into your customers’ hands. Coupons, announcements and recipes can go right into their bag so they have a tangible reminder about your farm when they get home. Sell, sell, sell. You can’t make sales if you’re not at the market.
Slow sales days at the farmers market can be very frustrating and if the market is consistently costing you money to participate in, then don’t renew your participation. But, usually you’re investing in this marketing channel for the long run. Like investing in anything, you need to stay in the game over time to maximize your investment. This isn’t a literary quote but one that might still apply – “Come to the dance, but sit close to the door.”
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Upcoming Events March 3/13– Small Farm Program– Row Cover/Ethnic Vegetables 3/16– Peaches, Pawpaws, Pomegranates, and More 3/16– Containers and Raised Beds Workshop 3/18– Basic GAP– Good Agricultural Practices Training 3/19– Ready, Set, Spring
3/19– Soil Workshop 3/19– Starting a small farm: Integrating livestock into a diversified farm 3/20– Small Farm Program: Pest Management, Newer Ideas 3/23– Spring Thaw Workshop– Watershed Moments 3/23– Business and Legal Considerations for Your Farm Workshop 3/27– Introduction to Backyard Poultry 3/27– Soils to Salts: From Fertilizer to Tidewater Webinar
3/27– Small Farm Program: Basic Hands-On Mechanics 3/30– Bad Bugs: Control Them Without Chemicals
April 4/9–
Food For Profit (or see pg. 5)
4/10– Estate and Transition Planning Success Webinar 4/13- Plan Your Permaculture Garden 4/17– Rotem Controller Workshop
4/20– Pollinators: How You Can Help Them Help You 4/23– Sowing The Seeds of Social Media Success– Strategic Market Planning 4/24– Predator Control For Your Small Flock Webinar 4/25– Poultry Farm Management for New and Existing Growers 4/27– Berry Delicious: Planting a Backyard Berry Patch
May 5/8–
Legal Considerations for Marketing Your Farm Social Media Webinar
5/13&14- RAStech Conference and Trade Show 5/22– Thought Leadership and Branding on Social Media Webinar
Click event for details, or visit: extension.umd.edu/events for a full list of events. 4 2
Events of Interest
Before starting a home-based food business, it is vital to understand the regulations that govern the production of food for public consumption. For example, do you need a separate kitchen? What about product labeling? These and many more questions will be answered at the upcoming session of Maryland Extension’s Food for Profit workshop on Tuesday, April 9, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Prince George’s Soil Conservation District, 5301 Marlboro Race Track Road, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. For further information about workshop content or require special assistance to participate in this program, please contact Ginger S. Myers, University of Maryland Extension Specialist at gsmyers@umd.edu, 301-432-2767 ext.338. Pre-payment and registration are required for this workshop.
Registration is required through the University of Maryland Extension Eventbrite online system by going to https://ffp-apr9.eventbrite.com or you can make a payment by check by using our downloadable registration form by going tohttps:// go.umd.edu/Mail-in-Registration-form. Please make your check payable to University of Maryland.
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Click here to receive this newsletter every month “This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number #2012-49400-19552. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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