Need help with expressing opinion on new NJ Beekeeping regulations

[jackandjill 683]

I am a member of NJ Beekeepers Association and met some wonderful old timers who are also strong believers of self reliance, small government and you guessed it, second amendment. 

In its tradition, the State is in the middle of enacting new regulations controlling and in some instances, outright banning backyard beekeeping.  Some of this will sound painfully familiar in how the State operates.  I am disappointed, but not surprised.

NJ required all beekeepers to register their hives, full name, address etc, every year. Guess whats happening with people who register because they want to be "law abiding" ? Yep, more laws are being forced on.

Full regulation details are available at http://www.state.nj.us/agriculture/news/hottopics/approved/topics170726.html .  

Some of the negatives:

1. Outright banning of beekeeping in lot size smaller than 1/4 acre. Most of the urban backyard beekeeping will be wiped out.

2. Severe restrictions on hives kept on lots between 1/4 acre and 5 acres. Most beekeepers will not be able to collect swarms and help non-beekeepers get rid of swarms without resorting to pesticides and killing bees. 

3. Severe restrictions even on land thats more than 5 acres. Impact pollination on small farms. Threatens crop production and farmer livelihood. 

4. Limits local honey supply and all the benefits it brings. 

5. Works against the concept of local produce. 

 

If you are a beekeeper, love local honey, love gardening, a farmer or in favor of self reliance, please take few minutes and write an email expressing your opinion against these regulations on NJ backyard beekeeping to the NJ Department of Agriculture contact mentioned below. Appreciate your help. 

 

Douglas H. Fisher

Secretary of Agriculture
609-292-3976
[email protected]

 

PS: Please feel free to PM me with any questions, comments or concerns. I will be more than happy to elaborate and address. 

[Zeke 5,504]

Why? What public protection? Being stung?

[jackandjill 683]

3 minutes ago, Zeke said:

Why? What public protection? Being stung?

You know, THE public protection, the one we are painfully familiar with in our other hobby / exercise of constitutional right ?

You will love this. ONE beekeeper and his/her neighbor disagreement escalated to State level. Lo and behold, more laws for the sake of children. 

[BobA 1,235]

It's about fees and job justification. 

[jackandjill 683]

Just now, BobA said:

It's about fees and job justification. 

More of this coming. Some municipalities require a "permit" for mere yearly fee of $200. 

[BobA 1,235]

 

These are the people on the federal level that handle this:

 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Office of Public Affairs

Office: (703) 358-2220
Fax: (703) 358-1930 
5275 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA
22041-3803

I have a feeling, however, local ordinances can prevail but it's worth a try.

[jackandjill 683]

The new regulations are from NJ State and not federal. Better to send opinions to Mr. Douglas Fisher at NJ State Ag. 

[BobA 1,235]

Support from these people may help also:

THE NEW JERSEY FARM BUREAU

https://njfb.org/

[Handyman 5,682]

I feel safer already. It was only a matter of time until the beekeepers ran amok.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Zeke 5,504]

23 minutes ago, jackandjill said:

You know, THE public protection, the one we are painfully familiar with in our other hobby / exercise of constitutional right ?

You will love this. ONE beekeeper and his/her neighbor disagreement escalated to State level. Lo and behold, more laws for the sake of children. 

Uggg, email sent.

why can't people jus act like people. Both sides 

 

[jackandjill 683]

4 minutes ago, Zeke said:

Uggg, email sent.

why can't people jus act like people. Both sides 

 

Thanks. Yep, the matter should have been handled like grown ups. The beekeper in question is a major a-h. 

[Sota 1,191]

Are you seriously fucking kidding me? There's bullshit around bees????

I'm planning on a hive in the next year. Fuck the government and me "registering" the hive.  I'll Wickerman any motherfucker that tries and raise a stink.

[jackandjill 683]

12 minutes ago, sota said:

Are you seriously fucking kidding me? There's bullshit around bees????

I'm planning on a hive in the next year. Fuck the government and me "registering" the hive.  I'll Wickerman any motherfucker that tries and raise a stink.

Believer it or not, there is. Happy to help if you need anything bee related.  

[Sota 1,191]

I might take you up on that, especially if you're near me (rt.78 exit 43)

[mossburger 406]

For what it's worth, you have to keep in mind that these beekeeping regulations may have almost nothing to do with bees, and may everything to do with property taxes. 

 

A lot of wealthy towns out along 287 have people living in literal multi-million dollar mansions, on acreages of land, but they sell a little stack of firewood at the road or keep a beehive in the yard, and get to be zoned as a farm instead of residence. These people are avoiding tens of thousands of dollars per year in taxes. The state probably wants to start giving these people trouble. 

 

Now I'm not saying this is right to go after the beekeepers, or that the taxes may or may not be justified, it just is what it is, and the first part of dealing with a situation, is understanding it. 

[High Exposure 5,662]

My wife went to E&M Gold Beekeepers in Tinton Falls for a NJ Master Gardener event this morning.

As she is into all things nature and plant related, I had told her about the new regulations that I learned about here a while ago. She brought up the new regulations to the staff there. They said that the regulation set to start on 8/21 has been recalled for further conversation and research. The Link at the NJDA site in the OP reflects this:

Quote

The Proposed Rule on beekeeping previously located in this spot under "Hot Topics" has been recalled for additonal discussion based on informal comments received by the NJDA to date. The rule will not be published on August 21 as previously stated, and a new publication date has not been determined. An extensive amount of work already has gone into the rule's development, and publishing at a later date will allow Department staff to further examine the issues raised.

[raz-0 1,259]

On 8/5/2017 at 8:16 PM, mossburger said:

For what it's worth, you have to keep in mind that these beekeeping regulations may have almost nothing to do with bees, and may everything to do with property taxes. 

 

A lot of wealthy towns out along 287 have people living in literal multi-million dollar mansions, on acreages of land, but they sell a little stack of firewood at the road or keep a beehive in the yard, and get to be zoned as a farm instead of residence. These people are avoiding tens of thousands of dollars per year in taxes. The state probably wants to start giving these people trouble. 

 

Now I'm not saying this is right to go after the beekeepers, or that the taxes may or may not be justified, it just is what it is, and the first part of dealing with a situation, is understanding it. 

Since the pioneers of this bullshit were largley people who make up the state government, I highly doubt that is the issue. 

In case people haven't noticed, we have a serious bee problem. Reducing the number of well tended hives is not a way to fix that bee problem. Large commercial apiaries are experiencing more issues with hive collapse than smaller, well tended operations that aren't over taxing their bees. 

[jackandjill 683]

18 hours ago, High Exposure said:

My wife went to E&M Gold Beekeepers in Tinton Falls for a NJ Master Gardener event this morning.

As she is into all things nature and plant related, I had told her about the new regulations that I learned about here a while ago. She brought up the new regulations to the staff there. They said that the regulation set to start on 8/21 has been recalled for further conversation and research. The Link at the NJDA site in the OP reflects this:

Thanks HE. Yes, the publishing date is now pushed back. They were originally planning to publish them on 21st bypassing some of the legal procedures required.  Gee, reminds me other areas where NJ rushes to publish stuff unilaterally. Lot of people responded in opposition to the new regulations and hope the department reconsiders. 

Ed & Mary from E&M are cool people. I purchased bees and queens from them last year. She is very methodical and runs her operation professionally. 

[jackandjill 683]

On 8/5/2017 at 8:16 PM, mossburger said:

For what it's worth, you have to keep in mind that these beekeeping regulations may have almost nothing to do with bees, and may everything to do with property taxes. 

 

A lot of wealthy towns out along 287 have people living in literal multi-million dollar mansions, on acreages of land, but they sell a little stack of firewood at the road or keep a beehive in the yard, and get to be zoned as a farm instead of residence. These people are avoiding tens of thousands of dollars per year in taxes. The state probably wants to start giving these people trouble. 

 

Now I'm not saying this is right to go after the beekeepers, or that the taxes may or may not be justified, it just is what it is, and the first part of dealing with a situation, is understanding it. 

I never understand what (if any) loophole enables people to claim farm zoning. None of the beekeepers I know (or anyone else for that matter) could claim farming. The only benefit backyard beekeepers would get from right-to-farm inclusion is protection against lawsuits and municipal regulations banning beekeeping, which the proposed regulations would have done for the municipalities :-(. Hence the push back.