PROGRAM ANALYSIS 



APICULTURE PROGRAM 



Goal 



Achieve and maintain a prosperous and thriving beekeeping industry. 



Objectives 



Through inspection, quarantine, and registration of apiaries, 

 prevent the spread and incidence of disease in honeybee colonies. 



Prevent the overcrowding of bee pasture by registration of 

 apiaries according to law. 



Disseminate information concerning proper management methods, 

 disease control methods, etc., to insure an informed beekeeping industry. 



Cooperate with other states in the interstate movement of bees. 



Evaluation 



The incidence of disease found in honeybee hives was held to 

 seven tenths of one percent even though the number of beehives and 

 beekeepers have increased. 



There were 3,201 apiaries registered in FY 74. These apiaries 

 were registered by 223 beekeepers (51% increase over FY 73) and con- 

 sisted of 78,298 beehives (3.4% increase over FY 73). 



The low level of honeybee disease (0.7%) plus the increase in 

 the number of beekeepers (51%) is considered to be due in part to the 

 informational part of the program. A quarterly beekeeping newsletter 

 is currently being published in cooperation with the Montana State 

 Beekeepers Association to improve communication within the beekeeping 

 industry. 



The number of hives requiring inspection for out of state movement 

 during FY 74 more than doubled over FY 73 (210%). 



The number of hives imported into the state requiring inspection 

 increased by 5% over the previous fiscal year. 



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