2009 National Beekeeping Conference

Reno is ready for you!
The speakers have been invited. The bee supply dealers are planning their Trade Show exhibits. All that is needed is you!

ADVANCED AND ONLINE REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED!!!

The American Beekeeping Federation will host the North American Beekeeping Conference, Jan. 13-17, in Reno/Sparks, Nevada, at John Ascuaga’s Casino Resort Hotel. (Speakers and schedules listed here are subject to change.)

The Conference opens on Tuesday evening with a free Welcome-to-Reno Reception and runs through the Saturday Evening Banquet. In between, beekeepers will have multiple opportunities to catch up on the latest news in their business, learn new technique, and see the what supply dealers are offering. Along the way they will renew old friendships and make new ones that will last for years.

The welcome reception starts at 6:00 p.m. ABF Committees will meet earlier in the afternoon.

Wednesday, January 14

The Conference formally begins on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. with a welcome and the ABF President’s address. The ABF State Delegates Assembly will have already met at 7:00 a.m.

Dr. Jeff Pettis (Beltsville Bee Lab) will give an overview of CCD research efforts and findings. Fran Boyd, one of ABF’s representatives in Washington, will give us an update on what the changes in the capitol may hold for beekeepers.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) will allow those of common interests to take a closer look at their fi elds with sessions for Package Bee & Queen Breeders, Commercial Beekeepers (pollination and honey production), Honey Producer- Packers, and Hobbyists-Sideliners. In the evening, the American Honey Queen Program will have its queen reception.

Thursday, January 15

The ABF Ladies Auxiliary invites all interested spouses to join them on Thursday morning for their breakfast and a program to follow, presented by the Honey Queens and contestants.

The Thursday morning General Session will be devoted to a closer look at varroa mites, with the past, the present, and the future being addressed, as well as how viruses figure into the equation. Speakers include Dr.

Marla Spivak (Univ. Minnesota), beekeeper-researcher Randy Oliver (California), beekeeper David Mendes (Florida), Dr. Jay Evans (Beltsville Bee Lab), Dr. Greg Hunt (Purdue Univ.), Dr. Denis Anderson (CSIROAustralia), Dr. Peter Teal (USDA-ARS Gainesville, Fla.), Dr. David Wick (Montana), Diana Cox-Foster (Penn State), Dr. Michelle Flenniken (UC Davis).

Dr. Marion Ellis (Univ. Nebraska) will outline the research to be done by the 17 organizations involved in the Protection of Managed Bees Coordinated Agricultural Project. After Dr. Gloria DeGrandi- Hoffman, gives an update on nutrition research at the Tucson Bee Lab, the intricacies of the Apiculture Crop Insurance will be explained.

On Thursday evening buses will take us to Downtown Reno for an optional BBQ dinner and “fun & games” at the National Bowling Center.

Friday, January 16

On Friday, three parallel program tracks are available.
The Serious Sideliner Symposium, coordinated by Dr. Larry Connor, will run all day Friday and Saturday. (See Page 7 for details on the Symposium).

In the other concurrent program Ralph Jones (Idaho State Univ.) will address the business side of beekeeping.
On Friday morning, he will teach Stress Management; in the afternoon, he will cover Managing for Change.

The Friday General Session will begin with presentations on Nosema ceranae. Dennis vanEngelsdorp (Pennsylvania Dept. Ag.) will discuss the causes of hive mortlaity in migratory operations. A beekeeper panel will follow: “How I Am Dealing with Nosema.” Dr. Frank Eischen (Weslaco Bee Lab) will talk about bee nutrition and parasites.

An update on the new National Honey Board and a panel on the U.S. and international honey market will close out the morning.

The Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees will recognize their 2009 Scholarship Winners at the Scholars Recognition Luncheon. The five scholars will speak on their research programs at various times during the General Session.

After lunch, Maryann Frazier (Penn State) and Dr. Jerry Bromenshenk (Univ. Montana) will explore the effect of systemic pesticides on bees.

At the end of the General Session, the entries in the 2009 American Honey Show will be auctioned to benefit the American Honey Queen Program.

Friday Evening: MARC HOFFMAN (Maryland) will present “An Evening with the Rev. L.L. Langstroth.” There will be no admission for this special event, but the audience will have an opportunity to contribute to Mr. Hoffman’s expenses.

Saturday, January 17

The ABF’s Interactive Workshop Sessions will be on Saturday morning – two 90-minute sessions with a coffee break.
Reyah Carlson will be back with her popular Apitherapy Workshop that runs across both time periods.

Among the workshops are:
- “Ameliorating Pesticide Damage” – Maryann Frazier
- “New Honey Product Concepts You Can Use” -- Charlotte Jordan, National Honey Board
- “Handling and Introducing Queens, Queen Cells and Virgins” followed by “Queen Rearing Essentials”
- Larry Connor (this is part of the all-day track “Queen Management, Rearing and Breeding.”

More information available in the convention brochure: click here to download it.