# Commercial Operations close together?



## MTN-Bees (Jan 27, 2014)

We moved to CA last October. We have 5 acres and relocated our small operation. There is property about two hundred yards away that we saw some development on such as setting up trailers and drilling a well. I came home today and saw a couple of hundred hives placed. The hives come from Northern CA. 

Can two operations share an area so close together?


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Sure.


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## Aroc (May 18, 2016)

Might need to look at the states regs. Up here commercial operations need to be 3 miles apart. A hobbyist does not need to comply with the 3 mile rule. I'm sure Cali has some sort of regs on the matter.


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## DavidZ (Apr 9, 2016)

go introduce yourself.


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

Sounds normal.


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## MTN-Bees (Jan 27, 2014)

As far as I can tell there are no distance requirements in CA.
I will introduce myself.
And yes I guess it is normal for CA.


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## LSPender (Nov 16, 2004)

i just went through my contact list, with in 60 miles of my home in Camarillo ca their are 36 beekeepers I know of running from 64 to 5000 hives . And another 15 large operators , greater than 3000 hives each that also bring hives into the area . This is just what I am aware of . Probably more I forgot about or have not meet. Just the way it is.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Aroc said:


> Might need to look at the states regs. Up here commercial operations need to be 3 miles apart. A hobbyist does not need to comply with the 3 mile rule. I'm sure Cali has some sort of regs on the matter.


Do commercial operations have to stay 3 miles away from each other, or three miles away from any other apiary. And if the location has been a long standing apiary, some times unoccupied? Who has standings? If I had an apiary which was some times vacant, because I pollinate or honey production is better elsewhere at certain times of the year, and someone else bought property and brought bees, I would not feel obligated to relocate or perminently vacate an apiary I had been using.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Here is a summary of the Montana Apiary location rules ...


> There are four types of apiary registrations:
> 
> General (Commercial): An apiary placed by permission on someone's property and contains more than 5 hives. All general apiaries must be 3 miles from the next general site of another registered beekeeper. This is to prevent the spread of diseases and pests from apiary to apiary and to limit and prevent interference with proper feeding of the honeybees.
> 
> ...


To read the detailed regulations summarized above: http://www.mtrules.org/gateway/Subchapterhome.asp?scn=4.12.1


It appears to me that an apiary site, once registered with the state, continues to be considered an apiary by the state until the land owner / manager notifies the state that they wish to cancel that registration. 


> (2) Upon notice from a landowner or land manager that a beekeeper is no longer allowed access to their property or allowed to maintain bees on the property, the department will cancel the registration and notify the beekeeper.
> 
> http://www.mtrules.org/gateway/RuleNo.asp?RN=4.12.102


I didn't see anything that suggests the state periodically checks to see if a registered site still actually has hives.


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

Welcome to California. Almonds changed everything, and I do mean everything.Good for the keeper in many ways, but not always best for the bees.New parasites and diseases have been brought in and overcrowding is the 'New Normal'. There are hard feelings over this, but I do not see the range war stuff that happened 40 or 50 years ago.


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## Aroc (May 18, 2016)

sqkcrk said:


> Do commercial operations have to stay 3 miles away from each other, or three miles away from any other apiary. And if the location has been a long standing apiary, some times unoccupied? Who has standings? If I had an apiary which was some times vacant, because I pollinate or honey production is better elsewhere at certain times of the year, and someone else bought property and brought bees, I would not feel obligated to relocate or perminently vacate an apiary I had been using.


Not real sure. I believe it's just a 3 mile rule from another commercial apiary. To be honest I know it doesn't concern me so I'm not up in the finer details.


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## justin (Jun 16, 2007)

In Montana if you own the land it is a landowner site, no 3 mile rule. they also own their land so no 3 mile rule.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

I'm quite pleased to be sharing with other beekeepers that are within 1/2 mile of my yards. 
We're benefiting each other and have discussed it. The queens we open mate are fairly good.


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## MTN-Bees (Jan 27, 2014)

Thanks everyone- I'm going to remain positive and hopefully we can have a nice friendly working relationship.


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