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Disease Elimination Conformity Agreement

You cannot currently submit this form electronically!

You will need to complete this form and print it out to post or fax to the Management Agency.

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In accordance with the National Pest Management Strategy for American Foulbrood, this is an agreement by the owner of beehives, or the representative of a beekeeping enterprise, to be responsible for disease elimination in the beehives the person either owns or is responsible for. The person understands that this agreement will be used to describe the AFB control practices used by the beekeeper or beekeeping enterprise, and also agrees to alter these practices, in negotiation with the Management Agency, should the disease incidence in those beehives increase at any time.

I,
(beekeeper name)

of
(company name)


(address)

Email address (required to confirm this submission):

agree to fulfill the duties listed below to the best of my ability.

I have hives, located on apiaries.

The duties are:

Part 1 - Compulsory Requirements:

1.1 To keep my bees in moveable frame hives;

1.2 To keep access to my hives clear so that hives are able to be inspected.

1.3 To not expose any bees, bee products, or appliances taken from or used in connection with any beehive with American foulbrood disease, in such a manner as will allow access to those materials by bees;

1.4 To not offer or sell any bees, bee products, or appliances taken from or used in connection with hives contaminated with AFB;

1.5 To not feed any drug or substance for the prevention or control of American foulbrood;

1.6 To register the location of all apiaries, giving the name of the land owner, the road name and address of the owner, a description of the location of the apiary on the piece of land, and a DOSLI 260 series grid reference for the location of the apiary, within 30 days of establishing the apiary;

1.7 To identify each of my apiaries with a registration code issued by the Management Agency, either by marking the registration code on the outside of at least one beehive in each apiary, or on a sign placed in a conspicuous position within the apiary;

1.8 To furnish an "Annual Disease Return" by June 1 each year.

1.9 Within seven days of finding a clinical case of American foulbrood, to report the case to the Management Agency, kill the bees, and destroy, by fire, all material found with that hive (including its bees, honey comb and frames). Boxes, lids and floors will also be destroyed, unless a negotiated component is included in this document giving consent to sterilize these items by an approved method;

1.10 To pass a competency test in American foulbrood disease recognition and destruction issued by the Management Agency (a course on AFB recognition will be available);

1.11 To supply samples of bees/honey for Bacillus larvae spore testing when requested by the Management Agency (at no charge to the beekeeper);

1.12 To sign "Certificates of Inspection" for other beekeepers only when an inspection for American foulbrood has actually been performed in the manner prescribed in the Certificate of Inspection.

Part 2 - Negotiated Components:

Tick the box(es) which best describe your beekeeping practices:

2.1 How many frames do you inspect?

    inspect four brood frames per hive
    inspect all frames in brood boxes in each hive
    other (please describe)

2.2 How many disease inspections per hive do you carry out each year (minimum of one)?
    once a year
    twice per year
    whenever the hive is being worked
    whenever anything is removed from the hive
    other (please describe)

2.3 When do you carry out these inspections?
    any time of the year when hives are being worked
    when anything is removed from a hive
    spring and autumn
    August to December
    other (please describe)

2.4 What system do you use to record inspections, disease found, and action taken?
    maintain a disease diary giving dates when disease found, when the Management Agency is notified, and when the diseased hives are destroyed
    maintain an apiary work diary which includes inspection and disease information
    none
    other (please describe)

2.5 What method do you use to destroy diseased beehives (including shifting of such hives away from the apiary site where the diseased beehive was found)?
    burning the complete hive over a hole dug in the ground
    burning all frames and bees over a hole dug in the ground
    burning all frames and bees inside a 200 litre drum over a hole dug in the ground
    at the apiary where the diseased beehive is found, blocking the entrance with a suitable material, killing the bees in the hive with petrol or other suitable substance, loading the hive onto a truck, and taking it to a suitable location to burn using one of the methods identified above
    other (please describe)

2.6 Will you attend an annual American Foulbrood Elimination Field Day in your area?
    Will attend
    No

If you are a commercial or semi commercial beekeeper please complete parts 3 and 4.

If you are a hobby beekeeper please complete Part 4. All beekeepers must sign in two places on this form (below sections .

Part 3 - The following section needs to be completed by commercial or semi commercial beekeepers.

3.1 What type of movement control system/records do you use (disease control and elimination purposes only)?
    within the disease diary
    within the apiary work diary
    marking individual hives
    marking hives to individual apiaries
    none
    other (please describe)

3.2 What type of traceback system do you use for bee equipment in storage (disease control and elimination purposes only)?
    marking stacks to show which apiary they came from
    marking supers to identify which hives they came from
    not necessary, as the hive will have been inspected before equipment was removed
    none
    other (please describe)

3.3 What method do you use to salvage woodenware from diseased hives?
    do not salvage woodenware from diseased hives
    immersion of all woodenware from diseased hives for at least 10 minutes in paraffin wax held at 160o C or above
    other (please describe)

3.4 What system do you use for drying out supers after they have been extracted?
    no system used; I just store them directly into a shed
    place stacks of extracted supers on top of hives in selected apiaries
    place supers back on hives/hives of origin
    other (please describe)

3.5 What method do you use to decontaminate equipment used in beehive inspections?
    sterilize hive tools by fire; wash hands, gloves and smoker with detergent
    sterilize hive tools by fire; wash hands, gloves and smoker with bleach
    sterilize hive tools by fire; wash hands, gloves and smoker with meths
    other (please describe)

3.6 How do you train staff in American foulbrood recognition and destruction techniques (beekeeping enterprises only)?
    ensure employees attend annual American Foulbrood Elimination Field Day
    on the job training
    ensure employees attend American Foulbrood Elimination course
    encourage employees to sit the competency test for AFB elimination
    engage a training provider to instruct staff
    other (please describe)

Signed By: _____________________________________________

Print Name:

Date:

Please complete the following section on exotic diseases:

Part 4 - Inspection for and reporting of suspect exotic disease:

4.1 How do you learn to recognise the symptoms of exotic bee disease?
    Read the exotic disease recognition pamphlet sent out by AgriQuality New Zealand Ltd.
    Attend disease recognition field days.
    Other (please describe).

4.2 When do you inspect for exotic bee diseases?
    During inspections for AFB
    Other (please describe).

4.3 How do you inspect for exotic disease?
    Check frames of brood for symptoms of European foulbrood and presence of mites.
    Check adult bees for any unusual appearance or behaviour.
    Other (please describe).

4.4 What will you do if you find something you suspect might be an exotic disease?
    Advise nearest AgriQuality NZ Apiculture Officer immediately.
    Send samples to an approved laboratory if required by an Apiculture Officer
    Other (please describe).

Signed By: _____________________________________________

Print Name:

Date: