The beekeeper with more than five bee colonies should not ignore the law; It is required by law and has advantages. For example, the record shows the diligence of a beekeeper in the event of a legal problem. In addition, the licensee receives advice from the ODA on matters related to honey beekeeping, such as the registration of new mite control agents. Oregon Department of Agriculture colony registration (5 or more colonies): apps.oregon.gov/sos/licensedirectory/licensedetail/606 5. Integrate best practices into basic beekeeping education, whether the training takes place at a regional bee school or with one of the honey bee suppliers. Regions must include this education in their curriculum. One supplier has already agreed to do so. In many cases, if a number of people are involved in an activity that could affect others, efforts will be made to regulate or standardize that activity. These efforts are sometimes based on the premise that others must be protected. An activity such as beekeeping, which a person can simply do for his own pleasure and benefit, is subject to the supervision of others. This oversight could simply include volunteer support organizations such as the Oregon State Beekeepers Association and its regional associations. However, there will also be members of government who will want to demand specific training, permits, codes, rules and regulations to ensure that the activity is not a problem for other members of the community.
In most cases, when new beekeepers asked them what local rules and regulations might apply to them, they were advised not to ask their local officials. A beekeeper may not like the response they would receive. In addition, the beekeeper could stir up a “hornet`s nest” through the issue, which could lead local officials to decide to issue certain codes, rules and ordinances that would most likely set limits to their beekeeping. Oregon Master Beekeeper Program: extension.oregonstate.edu/mb/ Oregon Master Beekeeper Program: A comprehensive beekeeper training program that is a collaboration between Oregon State University and the Oregon State Beekeepers Association. The program includes beginner (apprentice), intermediate (travel) and advanced (master) and also includes the combination of new beekeepers with experienced mentors. See extension.oregonstate.edu So the question is, how did we get this hodgepodge of regulations in Oregon, and even in the country itself. Why, for example, does the following happen? A beekeeper who is allowed to keep bees in one place moves to another place, always in the same postal code, but unfortunately, the new location is also within the limits of another city that prohibits beekeeping, and therefore the beekeeper is then prohibited from keeping bees. Nothing has changed in beekeeping. In the absence of widely science-based and recognized or established rules or guidelines that have been approved, many local government agencies have developed their own rules; even if none would be (would be) necessary. With little or no knowledge about beekeeping and no consultation with beekeepers, some local officials relied on information from other states, articles and reports, citizen contributions (often not in favor of beekeeping) to propose and adopt a wide range of codes, rules and ordinances. Others have responded by banning beekeeping altogether for fear of Africanized bees.
Other city officials imposed restrictions because a council member wanted to protect his nephew, who is allergic to bee stings. Previously, the same city had a ban on beekeeping because the city had issued a rule banning alien species within city limits and bees were added to that list. Over the past 30 years, as cities have become cities, city officials have decided to restrict agricultural activities within city limits, in line with their urbanization. Since honey bees are often classified as livestock for agricultural purposes, some cities, intentionally or unintentionally, have also banned beekeeping when they have banned animal husbandry. The goal of HB 2653 is for Oregon State University to develop best practice guidelines that, if followed, would ensure that beekeeping activities do not become a nuisance. The best practice guidelines would allow existing local harassment regulations to be used instead of new legal restrictions to manage conflicts arising from beekeeping in residential areas. By 1 January 2019, local governments will review and take into account these best practice guidelines, as well as existing regulations, and decide whether or not to issue new regulations for beekeeping in residential areas. It should be noted that some local governments also require beekeepers to register annually and pay a fee, based in part on the number of hives.
And recently, through a legislative directive, the Oregon Department of Agriculture imposed an annual registration fee of $10 plus an additional 50 cents per hive if a beekeeper has 5 or more hives in the previous “beekeeping” year. Update: You can view and download the “Residential Beekeeping Best Practice Guidelines for No. Eighteer Beekeeping in Oregon” (EM 918-6) under catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9186. That all began to change in early 2015 when Oregon Rep. Chris Gorsek convened an advisory committee to review residential beekeeping. The committee was comprised of representatives from OSBA, Oregon cities and counties, the Oregon Farm Bureau, the Oregon Department of Agriculture, and legislative assistants. Another participant was Raine Ritalto, who, after facing a ban on beekeeping in Gresham, had sought legislative support to clear up the confusion, unnecessary restrictions and conflicts surrounding beekeeping. As a participant, OSBA initially proposed prohibiting cities and counties from adopting specific rules, codes, or ordinances for residential beekeeping, and that only onerous ordinances should be used to regulate and resolve problems if they arise.