| Dear Beekeepers,
As NCSBA President, my sentiments remain with the folks that have lost all but the clothes they are wearing and especially with people who have perished and the loved ones who must now come to terms with their loss. In recent days the NC beekeeping community has learned of the untimely deaths of Ally Wisely and Knox Petrucci and their young sons, Felix (9) and Lucas (7), who were swept away by flood waters while trying to escape their flooded home. They were members of the Toe Cane chapter in Spruce Pine. Samaritan’s Purse is a long-standing and stalwart humanitarian aid organization. They are actively engaged in at least three WNC areas (Boone, Burnsville, Asheville). If you want to volunteer to assist with recovery you can register on their website. Monetary contributions are needed as well. I previously emailed the link below which details ways to help flood victims in WNC and will do so again: Ways to donate and help flood victims in Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene During Hurricane Matthew in 2016, I lost over 60 colonies of bees. I was able to apply to the USDA FSA service ELAP program and receive funds to help me get going again. The program was simple to apply to and I was very satisfied with the results. If you or someone you know has lost hives in the storm, the FSA has a program that can help. You can receive $230 per hive but you have to apply. Your NCSBA Regional Director and your apiary inspector can assist you with the necessary documentation. Please take advantage of this program if you plan to replace your losses. For more information about ELAP, visit fsa.usda.gov/ELAP or contact your local FSA office. To apply for assistance you visit your local FSA office. You will need to submit a Notice of Loss and an Emergency Loss Assistance for Honeybee Application. The links to the forms are provided for your reference. A FSA representative can answer questions and assist in completing the forms. To find your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov. An effort is underway to determine the extent of the impact of the storm on the honey bees. If you have lost bees, please contact your NCSBA Regional Director. This information will be needed to determine what actions are appropriate to assist the beekeepers of WNC. Please join me in helping the situation for folks in WNC and the honey bees of the region. Rick Coor, NCSBA President |
