We would like to congratulate long time Brown County Beekeepers Association member Tracy McHenry on being awarded the position as the new Bee Inspector! Apiary Inspection plays a vital role in Ohio agriculture as inspectors work to prevent the introduction and establishment of honey bee pests and diseases. There are over 100 varieties of popular fruits and vegetables that use pollination to ensure plentiful crops.
Tracy has been keeping bees for 10 years and has been involved with the Brown County Beekeepers Association as a member since 2013. She runs her own apiary on a small farm and sells the honey produced.
Tracy has attended numerous classes and workshops on the subject of beekeeping over the last ten years.
When asked why she chose to accept the position Tracy said:
“The more I work in the hive and with my fellow Beekeepers, the more I realize there’s much more to learn.
I enjoy collaborating with Beekeepers and educating the public about this fascinating insect.”
Tracy will be working with Barb Bloetscher, Ohio State Apiarist, as they work their way through hive inspections and focus on maintaining the health of honeybees in Brown County. Testing will be done for various pests and viral issues including Varroa, Nosema and new threats intruding from Asia.
According to the USDA statistics published in March of this year:
United States honey production in 2017 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 148 million pounds, down 9 percent from 2016. There were 2.67 million colonies producing honey in 2017, down 4 percent from 2016. Yield per
colony averaged 55.3 pounds, down 5 percent from the 58.3 pounds in 2016.
Operations with Less than Five Colonies Produced 599 Thousand Pounds of Honey in 2017.
United States honey production in 2017 from producers with less than five colonies totaled 599 thousand pounds, down 22 percent from 2016. There were 20 thousand colonies from which honey was harvested in 2017, down 17 percent from 2016. The average yield was 30.0 pounds per colony in 2017, down 6 percent from the previous year.
Honey bees, otherwise known as the Angels of Agriculture, are the strongest link in the chain between food producers and consumers.
Be sure to congratulate Tracy at the next meeting and thank her for all she will be doing to ensure the health of our honeybee population in the future!
