The American Beekeeping Federation (ABF) works tirelessly in Washington, D.C., and throughout the U.S. to further our legislative and regulatory priorities that the ABF membership has identified as important to our business.

The best way for us to convey our message and concerns is with in-person visits to our legislatures and the regulatory agencies and our members writing to their representatives voicing our concerns.

We Need Your Support!

We can make a positive impact through strong governmental relations to bring our thoughts and concerns to the appropriate parties. We need to convey our message when proposed legislation and laws will adversely affect beekeepers and their business.

We ask that you consider donating to the ABF Legislative fund so that we can continue voicing our concerns and have our collective voice heard.

Please visit www.abfnet.org today and click the “donate” button!

2022 Priorities

• Work with Congress to implement the Farm Bill provisions that sustain the beekeeping industry.
• Work with Congress to obtain appropriations to fully fund USDA-ARS bee labs so that vital research can continue into the many problems negatively impacting honey bee health.
• Stress the need for USDA, EPA and other federal agencies to enhance efforts to improve honey bee health as recommended in “The National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators.”
• Work with USDA-ARS and other public and private research institutions capable of providing meaningful research results for the beekeeping industry.
• Support efforts to develop a Commercial Item Description (CID) for honey by USDA.
• Work with FDA to establish a mandatory and accurate country of origin labeling regulations.
• Urge EPA to continue holding Pesticide (Crop Protection) summits to further protect beneficial insects from exemptions in label use regulations.
• Work with government agencies, agriculture allies and other stakeholders to develop policies and programs to enhance, protect, expand and provide access to suitable pollinator habitat.
• Work to safeguard honey bees as a top priority for all USDA conservation efforts and work for the expansion of acreage in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).
• Petition USDOT to make current hours of service in livestock transportation regulations permanent.
• Encourage improved labeling laws that require non-deceptive wording and stricter county of origin labeling compliance.

As ABF members, we can accomplish our legislative priorities if we all work together. It is important that we each contact our senators and representatives in Congress. They are the ones who work on the important appropriations related to our industry.

We promise to keep you informed of legislative issues throughout the year, and if we can better serve you as your ABF representatives, please let us know.