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NEW PEOPLE IN THE PROGRAM
We
have a number of new faces at Dyce Lab. David Ostermann comes from
the Department of Entomology at the University of Manitoba where
he received a MS degree in apiculture. David is working with the
new
breeding
program and brings a great deal of valuable experience with him.
Linda Fazzary
is our graphics design and web specialist, and Katrina Thomas
provides administrative support for all aspects of the Master Beekeeper
Program.
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THE
NEW DYCE LAB
The
last two years have seen a lot of changes at Dyce Lab. We have
been spending a great deal of time setting up the honey bee breeding
program. This has involved a number of steps. First, we had part
of the existing Dyce Lab renovated to accommodate a modern honey
processing plant (Fig. 1). The heart of this plant is the Cowen
Silver Queen Uncapper, a Cowen 60-frame parallel radial extractor
and a cappings spinner. It’s more than large enough
to accommodate our expanded beekeeping operation,
and it will also serve as a model processing facility for
an upcoming
Master Beekeeper Workshop. |
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The
final step was the construction of a 2,000 square foot
addition to the east end of Dyce Lab to accommodate the new
beekeeping
equipment for the breeding program (Fig. 2). The addition
has just been completed. The addition
will
also serve as the home of the Master Beekeeper Program.
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BIOTERRORISM ACT OF 2002
You have probably heard about the impact of
the Bioterrorism Act of 2002 on beekeepers. The act was passed
by congress in
response to threats to the nation’s food, drug and water
supplies. “To improve the ability of the United
States to prevent, prepare for, and respond to bioterrorism
and other public health
emergencies. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, ...
the
Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response
Act of 2002.” - BIOTERRORISM ACT OF 2002.
You
may need to register with the FDA. If you do, you will need
to:
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1. submit a completed registration form to the FDA;
2. establish and maintain records on purchases and sales
of honey, additives and flavorings;
3. make your records available to the FDA on short notice;
4. understand the detention rules;
5. give prior notice of imported shipments.
The
National Honey Board has done a nice job of putting together
a brief explanation of the act in so far as it affects beekeepers.
You may access this information at /,
or http://www.nhb.org/ or http://www.fda.gov/oc/bioterrorism/bioact.html
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WHAT’S
NEW FOR VARROA CONTROL?
The long term goal shared by beekeepers and researchers alike is the development
of a number of effective and economically viable methods for controlling parasitic
mites that minimize the use of chemical treatments, especially the more toxic
chemicals like coumaphos. This may mean radically different management protocols
for different beekeepers, depending on the size of your operation and the specific
markets you serve (natural food or commercial). Unfortunately, at this time,
the best advice for most beekeepers is to conduct the Pettis Test for pesticide
resistance prior to treating their colonies in the spring and fall, and then
to treat with the appropriate pesticide (Apistan or CheckMite+) according to
label directions.
Section 18’s: With
the help of the CU Pesticide Management and Education Program (PMEP),
I have submitted a request for a renewal of the Section 18 status (emergency
use) for CheckMite+ for 2004. I have also included requests for Section
18 Status for Mite-Away II, a formic acid based product manufactured
by NOD Apiary Products USA Inc. (a subsidiary of NOD Apiary Products
in Canada) and for Api-Life VAR, a thymol based product manufactured
by Chemicals LAIF in Italy. CheckMite+ is suitable for most beekeepers
producing for the commercial market. Api-Life VAR and Mite-Away II, while
not as reliable or effective, may work well in combination with other
non-chemical control methods and are well-suited those supplying the
natural foods market. If all of these requests are approved, beekeepers
will have four miticides with which to build an IPM program. The goal
is to have beekeepers evaluate these new products in their operations
as part of a pesticide rotation scheme to prevent the development of
pesticide resistant mites. Both thymol and formic acid can have adverse
effects on colonies if the dose is too high; so, be sure to follow label
directions.
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New
Miticides: Api-Life
VAR: This product is based on thymol, a major component
of thyme oil. In this product, thymol is formulated with
menthol and eucalyptus oil (Fig. 3). Thymol has been shown
to be somewhat effective in controlling Varroa. However,
the response to Api-Life VAR is considerably more variable
than that seen with CheckMite+; and adequate, long-term control
is unlikely using this product by itself. This is partially
due to the fact that Api-Life VAR is a fumigant and is affected
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Fig.
4
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New
Miticides: Mite-Away
II: This product is a formic
acid product based on research done by a number of researchers,
including CU (Fig 4). We were able to identify an effective
dose and release rate and these findings have been incorporated
into the new Mite-Away II product. Basically, it consists
of approximately 250 ml of 65%
formic acid absorbed
into a fiberboard (wood fiber, paraffin and starch). The fiberboard
is enclosed in a perforated plastic bag which serves to regulate
the rate at which the formic acid is released. The entire product
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Coumaphos
Safety Issues:CheckMite+
contains coumaphos, and it is highly effective in colonies infected
by Varroa mites that are not resistant to the product. Whereas
Apistan was relatively ‘user-friendly’,
the organophosphate coumaphos is extremely toxic to humans.
Remember! Organophosphates are closely related to a number
of highly toxic nerve agents developed between the 1930’s
and 1960’s. Coumaphos is an ACE inhibitor (that means
it blocks the action of acetylcholine esterase at nerve junctions),
and its effects are cumulative.
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Repeated
exposure can result in an individual experiencing a number
of unpleasant symptoms, including death if the exposure is
great enough. This is very unlikely with CheckMite+. However,
to minimize your risk, you must wear NITRILE RUBBER gloves
(Fig. 5) whenever you handle these strips (nitrile rubber
protects against both CheckMite+ and Apistan, whereas latex
gloves do not protect you against CheckMite+). Check with
your pesticide supplier for a supply of these gloves. Also,
store your strips in a dark, cool place away from other pesticides,
and be sure to secure your strips to prevent accidental exposure
to children and others who may not be aware of the potential
danger. If you hire people to treat your colonies, make sure
that they adhere to these safety practices.
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Coumaphos
Residues: It is essential that you follow
the label instructions for the use of all pesticides, including
CheckMite+. The label for coumaphos allows for a tolerance
not to exceed 0.1 ppm in honey and 100 ppm in wax. Honey
and wax with coumaphos levels that exceed these levels will
be considered contaminated and will be seized and condemned.
If contamination is found on a wide scale, EPA may pull the
Section 18 approval, leaving beekeepers without an effective
method for mite control. Other sources of coumaphos: It is
extremely important that you use only EPA approved formulations
of coumaphos for control of Varroa and the small hive beetle.
Right now, that means CheckMite+ strips. Use of other formulations
is illegal and likely to result in contamination of hive
products and to promote chemical resistance in the pest populations.
Other
sources of coumaphos: It is extremely important that you use
only EPA approved formulations of coumaphos for control of Varroa
and the small hive beetle. Right now, that means CheckMite+ strips.
Use of other formulations is illegal and likely to result in contamination
of hive products and to promote chemical resistance in the pest populations.
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FORMIC ACID RESEARCH REVIEW
In the fall
of 1997, Dyce Lab started working with formic acid for Varroa
control. Our
initial efforts were unfulfilling, achieving a control rate
of only 50-60%. We determined the causes for that low rate,
adjusted our delivery system, and in the fall of 1998, we achieved
95% mite control. We repeated this study in the fall of 1999,
and confirmed our findings. Our current delivery system consists
of a natural fiber board (20.3 x 24.1 x 1.3 cm) placed inside
an inner plastic bag which has 20, ½” holes punched
into each side. The board and inner-bag are placed in an outer
plastic bag. We add formic acid to the outer bag, seal it,
turn it on its side, and place it a square, plastic storage
pail. The formic acid diffuses throughout the fiber board over
a period of a few days. The device is delivered by removing
it from the outer bag and placing it on top of a two-story
colony that has already been prepared for winter. We use a ½” wooden
riser on the top super to provide more room for the board.
We also elevate the board off the top bars using four, small ½” wooden
spacer. The key is in the dose and the delivery rate. We use
300 ml of 65% formic acid. This is about twice the dose used
in the gel pack. The large number of holes in the inner bag
results in rapid evaporation, with 75% of the material having
evaporated after two weeks. The device is not registered for
use in the US, so I can’t recommend it to you. The results
from these studies and others have been incorporated into the
Mite-Away II pad.
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AMERICAN FOULBROOD
A number of changes sweeping through
the bee industry will soon have serious ramifications for
AFB management (Fig.
6). One is the widespread use of plastic foundation and plastic
frames. Traditionally, AFB infected colonies would simply
be burned (Fig. 7). Now, with a significant percentage of
plastic in the colony, burning may no longer be an option
due to environmental regulations. Effective and economically
viable methods for sterilizing plastic combs have not been
developed. The second development is that of Terramycin (TM)
resistance in the AFB population. TM resistant AFB has been
found throughout the US and throughout New York. Why
is this a big deal? The answer to that question requires
a basic understanding of the biology of Paenebacillus
larvae,
the causative agent of AFB. P. larvae exists in
both the vegetative stage and the spore stage. While the
vegetative
stage is susceptible to TM, the spore stage is resistant.
A colony
with active AFB will
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respond
to antibiotic treatment,
but since the spores remain viable in the colony,
the disease usually reappears when the antibiotic
activity
wears off. If you have transferred combs among colonies
during this period, you have probably spread the
disease. As a result of this biology, TM
should only be used
as a prophylactic. That means treating healthy
colonies
at two times of the year – in the early spring
at least 45 days before the first marketable flow,
and in the fall after the crop has been removed.
These are
typically dearth periods and the times when the number
of dead or dying hives - possibly infected with AFB
- is also greatest. Consequently, these are the times
when
your bees are at greatest risk.
Your
bees are also at risk during dearth periods
during the summer, but you must rely on good
management and an effective inspection program
during those periods because label restrictions
require that you stop treating with TM at least
45 days before a marketable nectar flow. This
is not usually possible during the summer. With
the emergence of TM resistant AFB, beekeepers
have no way to protect themselves from AFB.
The USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville,
MD has done a great deal of work evaluating
a number of other antibiotics for use in AFB
management. The most promising is an antibiotic
called TYLAN (a formulation of tylosin). It
is very effective; however, the FDA is probably
going to approve it for use as a treatment
for active AFB, NOT as a preventative for use
on healthy colonies. The results could be disastrous.
Why? TYLAN, like TM, is only effective against
the vegetative stage of AFB. The spores survive
to germinate at a later date. If you suppress
the disease, then transfer combs among colonies,
all of your colonies will eventually have AFB.
Then, you will need to keep all of your colonies
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REPORT ON NEW ANTIBIOTICS
FOR AFB CONTROL:
BY DR. MARK FEDLAUFER,
RESEARCH LEADER, USDA-ARS BEE
RESEARCH LABORATORY
[ed.
Note: Dr. Feldlaufer wrote this awhile back, so some of the
material
is dated.]
We have
undertaken the task of seeking FDA approval for two antibiotics
to control resistant American fouldbrood disease
(AFB). The antibiotics are tylosin (marketed as Tylan® by
ELANCO) and lincomycin (marketed as Lincomix® by Pharmacia & Upjohn).
These two antibiotics were chosen because (1) in laboratory
test, they were both very active against a Terramycin-resistant
strain of AFB; (2) they are structurally different from each
other and from Terramycin® (so there shouldn’t
be cross-resistance); and (3) both Tylan® and Lincomix® have
current agricultural uses (for poultry and swine). We are
seeking approval for these antibiotics when used as a DUST
(200 mg
active ingredient in
20 g powdered sugar) for the CONTROL (not “prevention”)
of AFB. I’ll explain the rationale for this decision later.
FDA
requires that we address three issues: (1) Target animal
safety – do
the compounds harm bees? (2) Efficacy – do the compounds control AFB? and
(3) Residues – what levels, if any, occur in honey? Target animal safety
studies were completed in Beltsville for lincomycin and in Weslaco (by P. Elzen)
for tylosin. We found that neither antibiotic harmed larval or adult bees, when
compared to sugar treated and untreated controls. Both of these studies were
quite lengthy (about 68 days) and detailed, and FDA is currently reviewing the
results. One field efficacy study using lincomycin was completed last fall at
a quarantine apiary in NJ, and the results were very promising. Eighteen colonies,
with varying degrees of Terramycin-resistant AFB, were dusted three times, one
week apart, with lincomycin. Forty-five days after the last treatment, there
were no signs of AFB. Additional field efficacy studies in different geographic
areas need to be completed with lincomycin and tylosin. We have asked beekeepers
to inform us if they have colonies with Terramycin- resistant AFB that we could
use for these studies.
The
Beltsville lab initiated residue studies on Feb. 22, 2001 at the USDA-ARS
location in Ft. Pierce FL. We chose this location to take advantage of the
intense citrus nectar flow. Honey bee colonies were dusted
three times (one week apart)
with either lincomycin or tylosin, and honey from the brood box and surplus
are being collected weekly for later analysis in Beltsville.
The field aspects of
this study should end on March 30.
While
a large amount of work has been completed, we are not done.
FDA must review all material submitted, and everything
dealing with
antibiotic use in agriculture
is being scrutinized. The January 6, 2001 issue of the N.Y. Times pointed
to the (over) use of antibiotics in farm animals merely
for the prevention of disease.
A Jan. 19th editorial in the prestigious journal SCIENCE stated that “Using
the same antibiotics in people and animals is a bad idea.” and
a Feb. 19th article in Chemical & Engineering News was titled “Furor
over animal antibiotic use”. Faced with this intense scrutiny,
FDA has indicated the shortest route to approval is as a “dust” and
for the “control” of
AFB. Syrup with antibiotic poses a greater residue risk, while “preventative” treatments
for AFB amount to using an antibiotic in the absence of disease, a policy
being reviewed by FDA. Even with ‘dusting” for the “control” of
AFB, I’m guessing approval for lincomycin and/or tylosin is at
least a year away.
So, what
can a beekeeper do when faced with Terramycin-resistant
AFB
in the interim? There is something known as “AMDUCA”. This
stands for the “Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act of
1994”, and
it allows for the extralabel use of certain approved antibiotics. “Extralabel
use” means using an antibiotic approved for let’s say chickens
and swine, for honey bees. The key is that the antibiotic needs to be
prescribed
by a veterinarian! More information on AMDUCA can be found at: http://www.avma.org/scienact/amduca/amduca1.asp.
Also, try an internet search engine and type in "AMDUCA”.
I hope
this information answers most of the questions concerning
our effort seeking FDA approval for antibiotics to control
AFB. If I can be of any help, please
contact me at feldlaum@ba.ars.usda.gov .
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MASTERBEEKEEPER
UPDATES:
The loss of our Extension Associate, the addition of full-time
teaching duties to my University responsibilities and the
initiation of the honey bee breeding program at Dyce Lab
have made for an extremely busy time. However,
after a lull in the Master Beekeeper Program, things are
coming back to life. This past year, I conducted both Apprentice
Level Spring and Fall Workshops. The schedule for next year
is looking a bit more ambitious. I am planning on delivering
both the Apprentice Level Spring and Fall Workshops, the
Journey Level Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Workshop,
and two Journey Level Inspecting Colonies Field Days. Dates,
locations and additional information are available
on the
Dyce Lab
website at masterbeekeeper.org. |
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NEW WEBSITE– www.masterbeekeeper.org
- check it out!
Speaking
of websites, the CU website is now up and running. The
site is designed and managed by Linda Fazzary, our Graphics
and Media Specialist. You can find a variety of useful
information
at
the site, including directions for performing the Pettis
Test for determination of pesticide resistance in your
mite populations.
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COLONIES FOR HIRE?
Do you have colonies you want to rent for pollination? I would
be happy to post a page with listings of any New York Beekeepers
interested in renting bees for pollination.
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TALKS TO BEE GROUPS
Currently, I have three talks ready to present at local
beekeeper meetings. One is on the proper use of pesticides
and antibiotics in the hive. The motivation for this talk
comes from a recent decision in New Jersey that required
beekeepers to become Certified Pesticide Applicators. I am
hoping we can avoid a similar situation in New York by taking
a pro-active stance that demonstrates that New York Beekeepers
are familiar with the proper use of chemicals in the hive.
The second talk is on identification and management of American
Foulbrood. This talk covers the history of AFB in the US,
the development and limitations of antibiotics, the development
of antibiotic resistant strains of AFB, identification and
prevention of AFB, and changes in the beekeeping industry
that may affect the future management of AFB. The third talk
is on effective spring and summer management.
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RESEARCH UPDATE
BREEDING PROGRAM
UPDATE: We initiated
a breeding program for mite resistance, hygienic behavior
and overall
good wintering,
temper and honey production. We established about 120 colonies
with queens from all around the country. It has been, to
put
it mildly, a trying experience. We thought we would get
off
to an early start, as the past few winters have been so
mild. We picked up 130 packages in KY on April 3 and
had them all
introduced by April 6, in the snow (Fig. 8). Within a month,
half of the queens were drone layers, superceding or otherwise
failing. Cold weather gave way to non-stop rain. Buildup
was negligible and chalkbrood was rampant,
the worst I have ever seen. The breeding stock began arriving
in early June, but it continued raining and the colonies into
which we were going to introduce these queens were barely mediocre.
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Fig.
8
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We
plodded on, losing many queens due to their being introduced
during extremely bad weather. We ordered replacements,
and by the end of July, we had managed to establish about
120 colonies. Many of the queens that were initially
accepted were eventually superceded for unknown reasons.
The fall was no picnic either. Rather than building up
into nice strong colonies for the winter, they all shut
down brood rearing just
before mid-September. We did manage to obtain brood from
about half of them which we will use to evaluate for
SMR trait. Anyway, we have readied the colonies for winter
and will pick-up the project next spring. On the bright
side, we pulled our first really big honey crop this
year – about 400 deeps which we hope to sell wholesale
to help support the program.
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SCREENED
BOTTOM BOARDS: We
conducted a third year of our screen bottom board study.
We are only looking at the effect of screen bottom boards
on mite levels and honey production, not on wintering
success. We should have this year’s data analyzed
by the spring. So far, we have nothing positive to report
with this technique.
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DRONE
TRAPS: We
conducted a second year of the drone trap study (Fig.
9). Again, we should have the data analyzed by spring.
The results from year 1 were very positive. The colonies
receiving the drone trap treatment had twice the
fall worker populations compared to those without the
treatment.
I am very hopeful that this technique will prove
useful to beekeepers as a means of keeping mite levels
low throughout
the summer so you have healthy colonies to treat
in the fall. The drone trap method may also work well
in conjunction
with formic acid or Api-Life VAR, but more work is
needed on that. We plan to conduct a third year of
the drone
trap study next season.
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HONEY
SHOWS Participation
in honey shows at the State Fair and at the Empire State Honey
Producers Annual Fall Meeting has been rather disappointing
lately. CU would like to help stimulate interest by offering
a free Master Beekeeper Workshop to the first place winners
in each category with five or more entrants.
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ACADEMIC
CLASSES
I now
teach two classes in the Entomology Department. One is
ENT 260:
Biology of the Honey Bee. The other is ENT 264: Practical
Beekeeping. Jon Ryan, long-time New York beekeeper and
Cornell graduate, takes the lead in the ENT 264 class
and does an
outstanding job (Fig. 10). In the lecture class, I emphasize
the importance of agriculture to the US economy and the
importance of honey bees to agriculture.
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NEED
HELP IN YOUR OPERATION?
Certification as a Journey or Master Beekeeper requires that students
complete three, one-day internships with three different cooperating
beekeepers. Each of the internships must focus on a different aspect
of beekeeping, such as making splits, swarm control, pulling honey,
extracting and processing honey, and so forth. If you would like
to help participants in the Master Beekeeper Program earn certification
and get some volunteer help in your operation for a day, please contact
me directly to discuss the possibilities.
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ADOPT
A LEGISLATOR
Because so many New York beekeepers have taken
the time to write to their local legislators and to the chairs
of the Senate
and
Assembly Agriculture Committees, we have been successful
in obtaining and sustaining funding for the apiary
research
and extension
program at Cornell over the past several years. Because
of your efforts, we have been able to build up Dyce Lab’s
research capacity to better serve beekeepers throughout
the region and
the US, and, we have been able to put together a comprehensive
Master Beekeeper Program. I want to thank each and
every one of you who have helped in this effort, and I want
to encourage
you to continue your efforts. Unfortunately, funding for the last 2 years has been mired
in the bureaucracy and that has made it impossible to maintain
the extension program at its former level. This problem seems
to be resolved, but your support in continuing this funding
is critical.
If you have not been involved before, there is no time like
the present to let your elected representatives know that
you would like to see the state continue its support of honey
bee
research and extension in New York. It only takes 30 minutes
once a year to write a few letters expressing your support.
You should write to the people listed below and refer to
the specific program – Cornell University
Apiary Research Program. A few kind words for past support always helps,
as does an occasional case of your finest honey to give your
legislators
a visible reminder of the industry that makes so many important
contributions to agriculture in New York.
The
leaders of the Senate and Assembly Agriculture committees
are:
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Senator
Nancy Larraine Hoffmann
Senate
Agriculture Committee
606
Legislative Office Building
Albany,
NY 12247
518-455-2665 |
Assemblyman
William Magee
Assembly
Agriculture Committee
641
Legislative Office Building
Albany,
NY 12248
518-455-4807 |
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The leaders
of the senate and assembly are:
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Senator
Joseph L. Bruno
909
Legislative Office Building
Albany,
NY 12247
518-455-3191 |
Assemblyman
Sheldon Silver
932
Legislative Office Building
Albany,
NY 12248
518-455-3791
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You can
locate the names and addresses of your local senator and
assembly representative through Senate Information (518-455-3216)
and Assembly Information (518-455-4218).
Governor
Pataki can be reached at:
Governor
George Pataki
Governor's Office - Executive Chamber
State Capital
Albany, NY 12224
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FARM BUREAU
NYS Farm Bureau has been extremely helpful in securing legislative
support for bee research. If you are not a member, give them
a call, check them out, and see what you have to do to join.
Membership brings many benefits, including access to group
health insurance.
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©
2004 NW Calderone |
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For
a printable PDF file of this Newsletter....click here
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