BC Honey Producers Regional Representative Role
This document will be intended to serve as an overview of the role, and provide guidance as well as talking points for meetings. It is a work in progress!
Regional Representatives are volunteers that liaise between beekeepers in their region and the BCHPA. The general goal is to promote and educate beekeepers in your region about the BC Honey Producers Association and share back information about your region to the BCHPA executive and membership.
Basic Regional Rep Activities
- Attend regional club meetings and get-togethers if possible. Some clubs will have a standing slot in their agendas for BCHPA updates from the Rep, or you could request time to speak when there is news to share. Suggested items to discuss include:
- Promote upcoming BCHPA events (AGM and Semi, Certified Instructor Course, etc.) at your local clubs. You can give a bit of a spiel about the speakers etc. After AGM and Semi-Annual meetings, provide a report to the clubs on what transpired that may be important to any of them.
- Promote the benefits of BCHPA membership
- A subscription to BeesCene & Hive Lights
- Members have reduced registration or admission fees to BCHPA events
- Members may vote at the AGM and Semi-annual meetings
- Members have the option of purchasing a liability insurance policy (see web page https://bchoneyproducers.ca/shop/ for details)
- Two higher levels of liability insurance for Forest Fire Fighting are also available ($ 1 million, $ 2 million) If you are taking your bees into the mountains, this may be required by logging companies.
- Share news about any advocacy work the BCHPA is currently undertaking, such as working with BC Assessment, the Ministry of Agriculture, etc.
- Help clubs find information on the options of being a stand alone club, a non-BCHPA society, or a branch of the BCHPA (a document detailing this is forthcoming and should be available online. Or email the exec for info)
- Benefits of “Branch” status: branch receives DOLI (Directors and Officers Liability Insurance) a value of $ 500 to 800/yr.)
- Branch receives a rebate for each member signed up by (date)
- A rep may request to receive some extra BeesCenes quarterly that they can share with beekeepers who are not yet BCHPA members.
- Reps are welcome to attend monthly BCHPA Executive meetings to stay up to date with the organization. You are welcome to join in on the conversation. If you have items to discuss, please email the secretary ahead of time to add to the agenda. Please note that Reps are not table officers/executives, and are not able to vote at executive meetings.
- Write a short blurb for each BeesCene (quarterly) for your region. Reporting typically covers subjects such as colony survival over winter, honey production through the season, levels of disease and pests, regional club business, unusual weather, and other notable issues.
- Sometimes you may be asked to make a verbal report at the AGM and Semi (if you are present and willing)
- This role is what you make it. Have fun and be creative!
“Above and Beyond” Rep Activities
Here are some examples of Reps who went above and beyond
- Organize an annual regional beekeeping meeting/event to bring together clubs in your region
- Mentoring new beekeepers
- Organize group purchases of bees and equipment
How do Reps get Support?
The BCHPA Executive is there to support Reps if you have any issues, questions, ideas, etc.
How do Reps get chosen or step down?
A formalized or consistent process does not yet exist for this. Sometimes existing Reps will work with their regional club(s) to choose a new Rep to nominate, and the nominee can accept or decline. In some regions, the Reps are elected by club(s) in the region (this is recommended). Then there will be voting at the BCHPA’s AGM to officially elect each rep.
If you would like to step down, discuss with your local clubs. The BCHPA executive is not usually involved in these discussions but can offer support and guidance if needed.
What to do when you become a Rep
- email the BCHPA executive (executive@bchoneyproducers.ca) and your regional clubs to inform them that you are the new Rep
- email the webmaster (Dan Mawson) and BeesCene editor (Heather Sosnowski) to update this info on the website and BeesCene, respectively. You will be asked to supply an email address and phone number. Also, make sure Dan adds you to the regional rep email list group (regionalreps@bchoneyproducers.ca) so you will receive notifications of exec meetings etc.
Note: As a benefit, Regional Reps receive a free BCHPA membership, as long as you submit your quarterly report to BeesCene.