Pennsylvania State
Beekeepers Association

Welcome from PSBA's President

Welcome to the Pa State Beekeepers Association website. This associaton is made up of beekeepers from beginners to commercial beekeepers and honey packers all across the 67 counties of this great state. One of our primary interests is the promotion of scientific study of honeybees and honey production. We are constantly on the watch to review proposed legislation that may effect apiculture or honey production in Pennsylvania.

The Pa State Beekeepers Association strives to promote fellowship between beekeepers and County Beekeeping Associations. PSBA is an active partner with Penn State University and the Pa Department of Agriculture. Together we aim to solve problems and foster in the minds of the public a true appreciation of the economic and ecological importance of the honeybee.

If you are new to beekeeping or just curious, please browse through our website. Most areas of the state are served by volunteer groups of beekeeper associations. Find your county on the interactive map for local club contacts or state inspector serving that area. Although this website offers a lot of information, we encourage you to join our membership. Our monthly newsletter offers a variety of articles and many suppliers of equipment and bees that you simply will not find anywhere else.

Thank you for stopping at our site of the Pennyslvania State Beekeepers Association.

Charlie Vorisek, President

2012 PSBA Annual Conference

A well-deserved award to Sharon McDonald

Photos from 2013 Farm Show

Our Farm Show page has been updated with pictures from the 2013 PA Farm Show. Photos by Charlie Vorisek.

Mite Control Survey by UDEL Graduate Student

Katy Evans, graduate student at the University of Delaware, is working on a project focusing on helping the local beekeeping community reduce and better manage mite populations and varroa vectored viruses in a non-chemical fashion. She is requesting beekeeper participation in a survey to find out their strategies used to control for mites. Details Survey link

Karen Roccasecca appointed as State Apiarist

Karen Roccasecca

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is pleased to announce the appointment of Karen Roccasecca as the Pennsylvania State Apiarist. We appreciate Karen’s willingness to serve Pennsylvania’s more than 2,700 registered beekeepers in this new role.

Many of you already know Karen as an apiary inspector, a position she’s held at the department since 2006. In this role, Karen and her team of seven seasonal inspectors worked with the state’s approximately 2,700 registered beekeepers that have more than 5,000 bee yards containing about 42,000 bee colonies. She’s also been instrumental in the study of Colony Collapse Disorder.

In her new role Karen will continue to support and protect the apiary industry.

You will hear more from Karen moving forward, but I encourage you to reach out to her to introduce yourself or with any questions. You can contact Karen at kroccasecc@pa.gov or by phone at 717-346-9567.

Thank you for your continued support of our agriculture industry and for all that you do to keep farmers farming.

Sincerely,
George Greig, Secretary
PA Department of Agriculture

2013 Pennsylvania Honey Princess Chosen

The Pennsylvania Honey Queen Program is excited to announce that Jessica Aurand was selected as the 2013 Pennsylvania Honey Princess during the Pennsylvania Farm Show...Read about it on our Honey Queen Program page.

Honey Sale Legislation

HB 2565 has passed both the House and the Senate ... unanimously. HB 2565 exempts on-the-farm honey producers from food license and registration, provided they produce 100% of the honey offered for sale. The honey offered for sale must comply with the 1974 law referred to as the Honey Sale and Labeling Act.

However...anyone is still subject to inspection. An inspection would most likely be prompted by someone getting sick on the product or complaint. Otherwise, an on- farm producer will likely never see an inspector.

The governor signed this legislation Oct 25th. It will take effect in 60 days. So... in January 2013, every honey producer that became a criminal over-night with Act 106 on Jan 1, 2011, will no longer be criminals again. How cool is that ! We will await any clarifications.

This amendment was initiated by the Susquehanna Beekeepers Association, through their local representative (Sandra Major). Hats off to SBA ! Pa State Beekeepers Association fully supported and actively participated in hearings and communications regarding this amendment.

Charles Vorisek

HB2565 ACT_106 Honey Sale And Labeling Act
Guidelines for the Sanitary Operation of Honey Extracting Facilities