From the President:
I’m very pleased to report that our annual convention in Prince George was another fine success: well attended and with a varied, well presented and appreciated selection of educational topics, and good opportunity for renewing relationships among beekeepers from around the province. The association is in very good financial condition. Before our March meeting, I will probably write a focused article on an adjustment to our bylaws that I feel is required in spite of our healthy finances. Scientist Dr Steve Pernal from Beaverlodge Research Station gave us a great review of the major bee event that BCHPA participated in this year, Apimondia in Montreal. His and other presentations will be available on our website in a few months, and I think many are worthy of viewing by any beekeeper who may have missed the convention. A somewhat dramatic but brief event with a good ending, the discovery of Asian Giant hornets near Nanaimo, and the quick removal of the nest (hopefully the only one) was well described by Paul van Westendorp in his Provincial report. One feature of the BC meeting reflected the practice of many research gatherings, with presentation of posters for attendees to browse at their convenience. These presented the results of some of the BeeBC projects throughout the province, enabled by funding independent of BCHPA, from BC Ministry of Agriculture. An even greater capacity for enabling high priority research, is the funding available to BCHPA to support identified research projects. The five projects supported last year are all well underway and we can expect results in due time. We will be exploring the possibility of pursuing some sort of Technology Transfer capability enabled by another $ 25,000 this year to address priorities. We look forward to guidance from our Research Committee.
Our board of directors was renewed in elections that gives us Dan Mawson and Jeff Lee as Vice Presidents, and a new Secreatary Michelina Hunter. With our veteran Treasurer Irene Tiampo and CHC rep Stan Reist, I look forward to effective management of the association.
Our banquet was the opportunity to recognise some of our outstanding members: Life memberships were confered on Blaine and Jan Hardie, and on Lance and Bobby Cuthill, while the President’s Award was given to Dan Mawson. Well deserved, all!
As I write this, my plan is to travel to Bolivia on a beekeeping development assignment from mid November to mid December. You may have noticed that Bolivia is having some unrest after an election the day before our Canadian federal vote. If all goes well I’ll be back before Christmas with another perspective on world beekeeping. We have remarkable opportunities ahead of us, and look forward to both the new year and our association’s celebration of 100 years representing the beekeeping industry of BC.
Bees be with you,
Kerry Clark, President