Each person within the state that intends to sell, trade, gift, or otherwise distribute queen bees, packaged bees, nucs, or colonies shall file with the department of agriculture a request for the certification of all of the person's queen rearing apiaries for which certification is requested. Each request shall be accompanied by a certification fee of fifty dollars or an amount specified in rules adopted by the director of agriculture. The director may require all queen rearing apiaries to be inspected as specified in rules adopted by the director at least once each year. If the inspection results in the diagnosis of any serious bee disease or pest or indicates the presence of Africanized honey bees, the owner thereof shall not sell, trade, gift, or otherwise distribute any bees until the diagnosed problem has been controlled or eradicated to the satisfaction of the director.
When such serious bee diseases or pests have been controlled or eradicated in the queen rearing apiary, or if no serious bee disease or pest is diagnosed or Africanized honey bees are found, the director may issue an official certificate. A copy of the certificate shall be included with each queen, nuc, or colony provided by the producer. The certificate shall expire on the thirty-first day of May of the following year and may be renewed annually. The use of tags or other devices bearing an invalid or altered certificate and the misuse of any valid certificate is prohibited.
Last updated July 30, 2025 at 5:29 PM