Youngstown Daily Legal News

Beekeepers hope license plate boosts exposure

TIFFANY L. PARKS
Special to the Legal News
Published: November 19, 2014

Backed by a wave of proponent testimony, the Ohio House has unanimously passed a measure designed to support the state’s beekeepers.

House Bill 474 would create the Ohio State Beekeepers Association license plate. Each contribution of $15 for the plate would be paid to the association and used to promote beekeeping, provide educational information about beekeeping and support other state and local beekeeping programs.

“By approving this license plate design, our state legislature demonstrates that they understand the benefits that honeybees bring to the quality of our lives,” said Adams County Beekeepers Association President Andrew Frowine.

“The larger issue is the demise of honeybees and other pollinators. Pollinators impact the quality and cost of Ohio food supply, the strength of Ohio agri-business (and) the quality of our neighborhood gardens, parks and greenways. Honeybees play a vital role in pollination for many of the fruit and vegetable crops in our state, including soybeans, apples, tomatoes, pumpkins and cucumbers.”

Like other backers of HB 474, Frowine tagged Ohio as the “birthplace of modern beekeeping.”

“Ohio has a long history associated with beekeeping,” he said. “This license plate will bring honeybee plight to the forefront (of) public awareness.”

Ann Whitney, a Gates Mills, Ohio resident, also endorsed HB 474.

“Ohio is truly a leader in entomology and its importance can not be over emphasized,” she said, adding that enacting the bill would be a win for not only the state but the planet.

In pointing to issues such as Colony Collapse Disorder, Edward Krimmer of Kent, Ohio, said the beekeeping industry is struggling to maintain itself.

“At no time in my 35 years of beekeeping has it been so difficult to raise bees,” he said.

Colony Collapse Disorder, which is described by the federal agriculture department as “a serious problem threatening the health of honey bees and the economic stability of commercial beekeeping and pollination operations in the United States,” is a mysterious phenomenon where worker bees suddenly disappear.

“We need to find ways to educate the public or at least help them to become more curious about the problems that confront these valuable little creatures,” Krimmer said.

HB 474 is jointly sponsored by Reps. Mike Dovilla, R-Berea, and Dorothy Pelanda, R-Marysville.

“I am gratified by the scores of Ohio small business owners and beekeepers who have testified in support of this bill,” Dovilla said. “Agriculture is Ohio’s No. 1 industry and our state’s beekeepers play a vital role in crop development.”

Pelanda said an estimated 30 percent of the food consumed in North America is produced from bee-pollinated plant life.

“Bees also pollinate the food consumed by cattle, thus making ‘apiculture’ a critical component to our meat and dairy industries,” she said. “The beekeeper license plate is a means of recognizing the importance of this industry to our economy and to our daily sustenance.”

Ohio has nearly 4,400 registered beekeepers supervising more than 37,000 colonies.

Bruce Weaver, a member of the Ohio State Beekeepers Association and Central Ohio Beekeepers Association, said he is backing HB 474 for three reasons.

“First, it will bring attention to the impact of pollinators and acknowledge our reliance upon them for our food. Second, it will bring educational opportunity to Ohioans regarding beekeeping, pollination and Ohio’s historical ties to beekeeping,” he said.

“Third, it will allow my wife and I to proudly display our connection to Ohio beekeeping and our dedication to preserving pollinators. This simple license plate will foster beekeeping, educate regarding bees and pollination and begin conversations about this important link in our food chain.”

Dan Williams, president of the Scioto Valley Beekeepers, said any research funding derived from the sale of the proposed license plates would be helpful in finding the cause and prevention of the conditions that are negatively impacting honeybees.

“Historically, in Ohio and elsewhere, honeybee research has not been adequately funded when you look at the potential long-term dire consequences to agriculture and agri-business caused by an insignificant population of honeybees,” he said.

Kenneth Bach, president of the Mid Ohio Valley Beekeepers Association, agreed.

“With the constant challenges facing the survival of the honeybee, we feel that any way to make the public aware of the importance of our No. 1 pollinator must be explored,” he said. “What better way to reach the greatest number of people than a license plate depicting the value of this small insect with such a great responsibility.”

HB 474 is awaiting a Senate committee assignment.

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