Booke Decker
Barbara Bloetscher, Ohio – Ohio Department of Agriculture is a State Entomologist/Apiarist who oversees the Apiary Inspection Program. Ohio is unique compared to other states because each county appoints a Deputy Inspector each season which runs from April 1 until the end of October. Beekeepers are required to register apiaries annually with the Ohio Department of Agriculture so that colonies may be counted and examined for pests and diseases. Ohio has diverse agriculture with 13.9 million acres of fruit, vegetables, oil and seed crops, nursery and row crops.
This year, 6,220 beekeepers registered 9,455 apiaries and 46,282 colonies. About 75% of the beekeepers are hobbyists with the balance comprised of queen breeders, commercial honey producers and contract pollinators. Recently Ohio successfully implemented a new queen certificate and inspection process which provides a rapid certification process for queen breeders. This certification has allowed breeders to sell queens and nucleus colonies earlier in the beekeeping season, while ensuring buyers that they are purchasing healthy stock.
