The Virginia Bee Law regulates the movement of honey bees into the state, the sale of bees, queens, used bee equipment; and provides a means for dispatching bee disease reservoirs.
Virginia utilizes a Uniform Inspection Certificate approved by the Apiary Inspectors of America for interstate movement of colonies.
Virginia also participates in the Mid-Atlantic States Agreement which specifies inspection requirements for bee diseases and pests and allows for partial (random) inspection of apiaries that meet certain disease-free criteria.
The agreement alleviates problems of reduced personnel and budgets while maintaining control over apiaries with disease histories.
VDACS personnel are frequently called upon to give honey bee demonstrations to schools and at fairs and other events to educate the public about the importance of honey bees and pollination. To arrange a demonstration contact the state apiarist in your area.
The Indispensable Honey Bee
Since their introduction in the early 1600ís honey bees have been an essential part of agriculture in North America. Production of honey is the most widely viewed benefit of honey bees. However, their value as pollinators far exceeds honey production. In 2000 pollination by honey bees added over $14 billion to United States agriculture economic value through improved product quality and increase crop harvest. The 2002 added value to the Virginia apple industry resulting from honey bee pollination was estimated as $23 million. Besides apples there are numerous fruit, vegetable, and nut crops that depend on honey bees and other insect pollinators to insure proper pollination and abundant harvest. The Pollinator Webpage is provided as assistance to Virginia agriculture in matching beekeepers with honey bees available for pollination services and farmers in need of pollinators.
For those who need bees or have bees to rent for pollination.