# Odd commercial route



## hillbeekeeper (Mar 11, 2013)

Noticed my first load of bees Friday on U.S. 78 (I-22.) I thought it odd that a load would run I-22 to I-40 instead of the southern route of I-10. Are there many commercial operations in north Alabama or Georgia who take this route or is there a reason for more southern beekeepers to go this way?


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## warrior (Nov 21, 2005)

The more northerly route could be to avoid heat? 
Are you sure it originated in Alabama or Georgia? Bees on comb aren't allowed to enter Alabama, not even if they are just passing through.
I'm sure all the Florida bees are getting to almonds by way of Chatanooga.


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## warrior (Nov 21, 2005)

BTW, there are no commercial operations in Alabama sending bees to almonds. Alabama bees are free to go but they, or their boxes or anything they touch, can never return. For that matter there isn't but one commercial operation in the entire state of Alabama.


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## warrior (Nov 21, 2005)

If you know for a fact that the load came through Alabama but did not originate in Alabama then the state of Alabama owes you a big chunk of money. All you have to do is drop a dime on it and you automatically get half of whatever the judge decides to steal from him (up to 500 per box).


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## hillbeekeeper (Mar 11, 2013)

No. The only person I know of in Alabama that shipped bees to almonds was Ted Kretschman. And I believe he stopped a few years ago. As far as going through Alabama, the state cannot stop the interstate movement of bees. It can regulate the shipment of bees coming into the state, but not through it. That regulation falls to the federal government. Alabama regulates *intrastate* shipment, not *interstate* shipment.


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## warrior (Nov 21, 2005)

It's a stupid law set up in the 60's by two package producing families to keep out Georgia and Mississippi producers. Both families are long gone but the state still holds onto it because that's the way they've forgotten why and that's the way they always done it. They even go so far as to invent reasons. Ask a Bama keeper and they say, "it's to keep out disease". Ask them if they got mites, I dare you. Kept them and every other pest out, right? Bunch of morons, and I'm a native eighth generation Alabamian.
All I can say is when I get shed of Georgia and go home my bees are going with me.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

warrior said:


> when I get shed of Georgia and go home


Now, now, now.....you're going to hurt someone's feelings here.


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## pndwind (Feb 17, 2013)

hillbeekeeper said:


> It can regulate the shipment of bees coming into the state, but not through it.


I'm pretty sure if they don't come in they don't go through.


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## pndwind (Feb 17, 2013)

This is the section in the Code of Alabama concerning this.

Section 2-14-4

Movement or shipment of honeybees into state.

(a) All honeybees shipped or moved into the State of Alabama shall be accompanied by a certificate of inspection, signed by the apiary inspector or other official performing similar duties of the state or country from which shipment is made, certifying that the bees and the combs and hives from which the bees were taken have been inspected by such official and that the bees, their combs, and hives are apparently free from contagious and infectious diseases. The inspection provided for in this section shall be based upon an actual examination of the bees and their combs, and hives, such examination or inspection to be made during brood-rearing and within a period of 60 days preceding the date of shipment. The inspection certificate required under this section shall be attached to each parcel or package of each shipment or movement in a conspicuous place, plainly written. All shipments or movements of honeybees into the State of Alabama shall be in combless packages only, and shipments or movements of honeybees into this state in violation of the requirements of this section shall be unlawful.

(b) It shall also be unlawful to ship or move into, within or out of the state a queen bee or other bees in packages or cages that contain food, any part of which is honey.

(c) Any person moving bees into this state on a comb in violation of this section shall be fined one hundred dollars ($100) per hive. The owner or other person in possession of the hives shall be given notice by the Department of Agriculture and Industries to move the hives within seven days of the notice. If the hives are not moved pursuant to the order of the department, the hives shall be destroyed. Upon conviction of a violation under this subsection, the judge may award a person providing information leading to the conviction a reward to be paid from the fine proceeds in an amount not to exceed one-half of the fines.

(d) This section shall not apply to bees moved into this state pursuant to a compliance agreement with the Department of Agriculture and Industries as provided by rule of the department.

(Acts 1965, No. 794, p. 1488, §3; Act 2011-646, p. 1645, §1.)


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## Fusion_power (Jan 14, 2005)

Contact the state dept of ag & industries and verify that we now have an exception allowing colonies to be inspected and allowed into the state.

Phone: 334-240-7237
Fax: 334-240-7168
Email: [email protected]

Read this thread for past discussion.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?247632


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## warrior (Nov 21, 2005)

beemandan said:


> Now, now, now.....you're going to hurt someone's feelings here.


I love Georgia beekeeping. I have more beekeeping friends and am welcome in more beeyards here than I ever was back home. Part of that is the result of that stupid law. In my lifetime I've watched the last vestiges of a once thriving bee industry fade away to a state of backyard country beekeepers and small time sidelines in my home state.
I never really gave it a thought until I came to Georgia nearly ten years ago.
Georgia has it all for beekeepers from gallberry in the south to sourwood in the north. From honey, package, nuc and queen production to pollination both local and national. Alabama could have all of that too as other than sheer size she shares all the same resources.
One simple obstacle prevents that. 

I may never make it home until they put me to rest in south Alabama but that is where my heart is and it saddens me that simple folks like me are barred from making a life with my bees across state lines like others can do in every other state in the union.


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## pndwind (Feb 17, 2013)

I have no hope it will ever change.


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## warrior (Nov 21, 2005)

I knew of the "exemptions" but I know how goat hill and that kleptocracy works.

Exemptions leave one vulnerable to the whims of beauracracy.

I have no plans to move back anytime soon or lobby to change laws the state association is hide bound to preserve out of tradition if not facts.

Just commenting on what I see as absurd in hopes others become aware and spread some common sense opinions within the community.

FYI, it is a very poorly if at all enforced law.


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## warrior (Nov 21, 2005)

In all fairness I must let folks know I'm somewhat of a contrarian. I've argued with my own (GA) state trapping association (that bunch of hide bound tradionalists won't just throw you under the bus they'll tar and feather hold a public lynching and slap your mama) fussed at folks from the AL trappers association for allowing illegal practices. I see it I say it.

As for the GBA I have nothing but praise, some concerns a few administrations back, but we are growing and doing great things. Did you know I could attend one bee meeting a week and never travel more than an hour from home? Try that in Alabama. I have more than a dozen beekeeping neighbors within a ten mile radius. Teach at four short courses a year and usually to a full house.

Y'all will just have to overlook me sometimes.


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## warrior (Nov 21, 2005)

Here's another Alabama silliness.

There are no restrictions on the type or style of knife one may carry on your person (as it should be) except "BOWIE KNIVES". Bowie knives are forbidden by name. Name only, no description. I defy anyone to give me a proper legal description of exactly what a bowie knife is.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

beemandan said:


> Now, now, now.....you're going to hurt someone's feelings here.


Well, 'bama got shed of him, so tit for tat. Or something like that.


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## ToeOfDog (Sep 25, 2013)

<< The only person I know of in Alabama that shipped bees to almonds was Ted Kretschman.>

Ted stopped saying that he spent his time and profit cleaning up the mess that came back and it wasnt worth it. 

There are 175 hives going this year. Ths State inspected them so they could leave, Calif will inspect them then the State will inspect when they get back.


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

California will inspect them? :lpf: Good one.


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## warrior (Nov 21, 2005)

Only 175, I would be willing to put money that Georgia sent ten times that or better. That's income and tax revenue the Heart of Dixie sorely needs. The gutless coward Bentley is closing state parks and state services right and left.

BTW, he is a gutless coward for erasing the proud history of my home state.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Now, Jim. Bee nice.


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

sqkcrk said:


> Now, Jim. Bee nice.


Its just that if you called the California state Ag department and asked how they are coming along on your hive inspection I would expect about the same response as the Dude got when he asked the Malibu police dept. if they had any leads on the theft of his 73 Torino.  
If you do the "almond thing" next year, Mark, you will quickly learn that the only two things California is really interested in from your perspective is clean equipment coming in and getting their share of your income from tax revenue. The growers care if there are bees in the hives and nobody is paying much attention to diseases. From a beekeepers perspective, we just want them the heck out of there the day they are released, it would be insane to wait around for some sort of inspection, they would probably starve first.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

So the State of California doesn't even do what the States on the East Coast demand of each other and inspect 10% of a beekeepers colonies for disease? Amazing. That's what I thought you were laughing about. I have no plans to ever do the "almond thing". No interest at all.

On another note.
Why don't almond growers have enough pull to influence and ease the entry process?


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

sqkcrk said:


> So the State of California doesn't even do what the States on the East Coast demand of each other and inspect 10% of a beekeepers colonies for disease? Amazing. That's what I thought you were laughing about. I have no plans to ever do the "almond thing". No interest at all.
> 
> On another note.
> Why don't almond growers have enough pull to influence and ease the entry process?


I dont know that California does any health inspections on any bees coming out of the almonds Mark. The scope is just too large, perhaps as many as a million hives will be moved out of state in the weeks following the almond bloom. I cant speak to how much influence the growers have or if they have even tried to exert any. My guess is they kind of like the idea of hives being cleaned before being moved into their orchards and figure that is the beekeepers problem.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

But from what I have been hearing and reading about the inspections at the state line are onerous. Especially those that are made to have their load washed before entry. But I haven't experienced it. So maybe things are not as bad as they seem from afar.

ME inspects thousands of hives before they leave from blueberries. And their State has only a small handful of inspectors.


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