# Buckfast breeders in Canada



## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Can they ship queens to the USA ?


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

I've tried for years to get Canadian Buckfast queens. Most years they could not get them bred, then last year, the queen bees were ready and mated, but were stopped at the border.

Or so I was told. It took me about 4 months to get my money back.

If you can get some kind of guarantee that they can ship, please let us all know.

Grant (not very optimistic, but more power to ya!)
Jackson, MO


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Same story here, Davies Apiaries. At least we got our money back.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

I havent heard of bees being stopped going south. There are many many hives sold to southern beekeepers, one of my distant neighbours in fact. Sold 800 hives and equipment by auction sale to a beekeeper in California.

I can see the problem of mating queens early enough to suit most beekeepers needs, due to a later mating season than you further south.


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

Early matings are not an issue with me. I'm more interested in GETTING the Buckfast queens, the TIMING is secondary. Even if they came as late as July, I'd be happy. I'd use them for my late-summer splits.

I remain rather steadfast in my desire to get some Canadian Buckfast queens. But my optimism and patience is about gone.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## norton (Mar 19, 2005)

Surely it's illegal for the USA to refuse entry to queens from Canada under WTO and GATT agreements. It was under these agreements that queens and bees were allowed in to the USA from Australia. There isn't any zoo-sanitary reason to prohobit the imports and a good reason to import queens from AHB free areas to requeen hives without the possibilty of introducing AHB genes. It seems that things need to pushed towards this direction.
Best regards
Norton.


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## TwT (Aug 5, 2004)

I always wanted to try a few buckfast, I am not going to get them from the weavers, hear to much about meanest, I would like order a few but dont know if they will fill small orders, anyone try since last year or is anyone have a order in now?


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Sounds like there is another issue at hand here. Did they tell you why they were held up at the boarder?


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## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

Was the boarder guard's last name "Weaver"?


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

This is what I heard from Davies Apiaries when they failed fill my order this summer.

"Because US customs did not allow us to bring our queens across the border we will not be able fill your queen order. We will send a cheque to reimburse you.
We complied with all of the new regulations but still were unable to get the queens into the States. If you would like to complain about the situation we suggest that you contact the USDA.
I have done some digging myself. I still need to find the contact information, but I have just found that the person to complain to is Dr.
Wheeler at the USDA. When I find out, I will pass his contact information for you."
I never heard any mor from them.


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## Keith Malone (Dec 16, 2003)

Hi Oliver,

> I still need to find the contact information, but I have just found that the person to complain to is Dr.
Wheeler at the USDA. When I find out, I will pass his contact information for you."
I never heard any mor from them. 
>

I would be very interested in this info also. I am interested in importing some Canadian bred Russian bees.
Thanks,


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## Keith Malone (Dec 16, 2003)

Hi Oliver,

> I still need to find the contact information, but I have just found that the person to complain to is Dr.
Wheeler at the USDA. When I find out, I will pass his contact information for you."
I never heard any mor from them. 
>

I would be very interested in this info also. I am interested in importing some Canadian bred Russian bees.
Thanks,


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

I am quite sure that bee imports from Canada aren't allowed. The way I understand it, this actually began when Canada closed its borders to US bee imports in an effort to stop Varroa from getting into Canada. Many of the US package bee suppliers nearly went bankrupt as they were dependent on the Canadian spring package sales. Almost certainly many commercial Canadian beekeepers suffered as well. At the time many commercial Canadian beekeeping operations didn't even try to overwinter bee colonies, but just ordered spring packages. To make a short story long, the US retaliated by closing its borders to Canadian bee imports. Although there is no longer any practical reason to ban bee imports in either direction, the politicians haven't been willing or able to correct the problem.

I find it amazing that we are able to import bees from Australia but cannot from our biggest trading partner, Canada.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

http://www.beeworks.com/Borderclosure.htm


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

It would appear that the rules have been relaxed somewhat since 1987

'Canada closed its border to honeybee imports from the continental United States in 1987, when the varroa parasitic mite was first detected.'
http://atn-riae.agr.ca/supply/3308_e.htm

On the other hand, they still seem pretty oppressive based on Michael's link.


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## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

The conditions mentioned in Micheal's link are common to most animals imported into the U.S. Even your average orange would receive a similar degree of scrutiny.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

How did my neighbour get his 800 hives to California , three years ago as I remember it, if bee couldnt trade south?


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

Ian,
Ask your neighbor how he did it. I'd like to know.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

I'll try to track him down. 

Another beekeeper up here is thinking of raising nucs for the US market. Now that I remember it. 
He was talking of making 200 plus every spring to send down as mature colonies the following winter. Thinking of making this work along side his honey operation. 
All this is with the mind set of an open boarder to the south. Ill bring up the subject with him too.


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

The border to Canadian bees on comb closed about 1 year ago. Package bees can be sent to the States form canada, but there is some protocol. It's unfortunate because there is a huge market there and I wouldn't mind a part of it.

Jean-Marc


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Wasn't the border closed because of Tracheal mites? Gard Otis of Guelph and the Provincial Apiarist did some work on this side of the border to test out soem Tracheal mite treatments, in 1988 and 89.

Aspera, oranges from the U.S. are commonly rejected at the border for folks traveling into Ontario by bus. My daughter's skating team has used a Canadian Busing Company to travel to competitions. They have to drive into Ontario to catch the bus and on the return trip, the border patrol folks in Ontario make the people on the bus throw out any citrus fruit.


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## irwin harlton (Jan 7, 2005)

Last time I crossed into the US,a couple of weeks ago, I asked an US border offical what the ruling was on colonies being imported into the US from Canada. He had to look it up in a book, but told me it was legal and they needed a disease free certificate 10 days prior to importation .
Did he know what he was talking about?
THESE WERE COLONIES ON COMB.
irwin


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Last time I crossed into the US,a couple of weeks ago, I asked an US border offical what the ruling was on colonies being imported into the US from Canada. He had to look it up in a book, but told me it was legal and they needed a disease free certificate 10 days prior to importation .
Did he know what he was talking about?
THESE WERE COLONIES ON COMB.

Seems like you could do a nuc with a bank of queens in it then.


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## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

> told me it was legal and they needed a disease 
> free certificate 10 days prior to importation

> Did he know what he was talking about?
> THESE WERE COLONIES ON COMB.

No, he did not read the rules correctly.
While packages and queens are allowed, subject
to the same controls as are placed on queens
and packages from Oz and NZ, bees on comb are
not allowed in from anywhere. This is not
unusual, as it should be clear that the 
biosecurity concerns for bees on comb would be
much higher than for bees in a package or a
queen cage.

All this is driven by the WTO. To be blunt,
the US had no choice but to apply the "newer"
rules to our Canadian friends, as to not do
so would be to prompt yet even more whining
from Oz and NZ, who are pushing the envelope
on the WTO rules for all they are worth.

Neither the USA or Canada allow the importation
of "bees on comb".


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Yup, Jims right. Cant ship bees on comb to the US from Canada. Packages and queens are allowed, but my conversation strayed and I forgot to ask about disease restrictions and sutch. Implemented a year or so ago. 

Dont understand why packages are fine and comb isnt.


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## Rogerio (Mar 10, 2004)

Then I guess I don't understand why Davies queens were turned back at the border last summer. They weren't on comb.

Roger


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Doesnt make any sence to me. I must be misunderstanding something here,

I am going to look into this further. Might be meeting a friend next week. he seem to know the ins and outs of these things. Ill get back if he can shed anylight on this matter.

[ February 09, 2006, 12:46 AM: Message edited by: Ian ]


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## PaulR (May 24, 2005)

So who are the Canadian Buckfast suppliers and is there contact info available?


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## irwin harlton (Jan 7, 2005)

Hi
Here are the canadian buckfast breeders
Barry Davies
R.R. #1
Seeleys Bay
Ontario K0H 2N0
Canada
[email protected]

Paul Montoux
135 Con. 16,
R.R. #1
Hagersville
Ontario N0A 1H0
Phone 905 768 5530
[email protected]

Rick Neilson
R.R. #1
Stratton
Ontario P0W 1N0
Canada
Phone 001 807 487 2387
Fax 001 807 487 2387

Don Amirault
129, Hall Road,
R..R. #6
Kingston
Nova Scotia B0P 1R0
Canada
Phone 001 902 765 8644

Norman Donovan
Mitybee Project Officer
Nova Scotia Beekeepers Ass.
R.R. #6
Kingston
Nova Scotia B0P 1R0
Canada
Phone 001 902 765 3883

Dr. Gard Otis
Dept. of Environmental Biology
University of Guelph
Ontario N1G 2W1
Canada
Phone 519844120
Fax 5198370442


irwin harlton


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Does Barry Davies still operate Davies Apiaries? I got emails from other people there on the failed export last year.


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## Pugs (Jul 15, 2004)

Well, at least some of you got your money back. I didn't. 

The e-mail address I have for Davies Apiaries comes back as no such address - [email protected]. Anyone have another e-mail address?

Pugs

[ May 21, 2006, 08:07 PM: Message edited by: Pugs ]


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

That is the only address they used last year, guy named Geoff. I got my refund. Just worked the bees today remaining from my order a few years ago. Not doing much and they stung me.


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## Pugs (Jul 15, 2004)

Thanks Oliver, I guess I'll write to the address I mailed the check to and see what happens.

Pugs


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## TwT (Aug 5, 2004)

can anyone get any queens from canada this year, I am going to email all above and see if I can get atlest 5 of these buckfast queens just because they are something I just always wanted to try out....


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## TwT (Aug 5, 2004)

how do you even call them numbers above, do you have to go through a operator first or what???? never called out of the country before....


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

More power to ya, Twt !

I've tried for several years with Davies to get Canadian Buckfast. Every year there is a problem. Last year, same story. I got my money refunded, but it took a little while.

I have no complaints about the people, just the process. No one seems to know how to rectify the situation.

I, too, would love to get some Canadian Buckfast. I've even considered making a trip across the border myself. They don't have royal jelly sniffing dogs at the border, do they? 

Keep us posted on their responses.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## jxbeeman (Apr 12, 2005)

just curious if anyone has been able to get buckfast queens this year from Canada. Also can you order them from Europe. thnx josh


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## TwT (Aug 5, 2004)

where do you find the laws for shipping queens from europe to the states, is this possible to ship to here from euro????


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