2020 VBA Winter Meeting

Agenda for VBA Winter Meeting

Location: Champlain Valley Exposition
105 Pearl St. Essex Junction, VT 05452
Expo North, A and B Conference Rooms

8:30 AM Setup, Registration

9:00 AM Welcome

9:15 AM Honey Contest winners –

9:30AM Bee inspector’s Report, Brooke Decker, VT Agency of Agriculture

9:45 AM Vermont Honeybee Diagnostic Lab, Samantha Alger

10:00 Keynote Presentation – Michael Palmer, French Hill Apiary, St Albans, VT

11:15 AM Business Meeting

VBA Beekeeper Awards – Fred Putnam, Jr

Secretary’s Report – Fred Putnam, Jr

Membership Report – Scott Wilson

Treasurer’s Report – Richard Roy

Certification Committee – Ross Conrad

Librarian’s Report – Marilyn Post

Apiary Committee and Workshop Report – Bill Mares and Jeffrey Hamelman

Fair Committee – Bill Mares

12:30 Lunch On your own

1:30 PM Workshops: Session 1 Challenges and Opportunities for Vermont Beekeepers Moderator Kim Greenwood

There are exciting developments for Vermont beekeepers including the new Vermont Honeybee Disease Laboratory at UVM led by Samantha Alger and the hiring of our new Apiary inspector Brooke Decker. There are also some challenges. This will be a panel discussion of some of the current issues facing our bees and beekeepers. Bring your ideas and questions. Topics will include:

• Beekeeping education in Vermont
• Preventing the entry of honeybee diseases and pests into Vermont
• Low honey prices and adulterated honey
• How can the VBA help promote high quality pure Vermont honey?
• What else can the VBA do to promote our industry and craft?

2:30 PM Workshops Session 2

Track A:  Beginning Beekeeping Topics

Track B:  Beekeeping in Slovenia

4:00 VBA Adjourn