Disease Elimination Conformity Agreement

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.

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:

1.2 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:

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)

once a year
twice per year
whenever the hive is being worked
whenever anything is removed from the hive
other (please describe)

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)

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)

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)

Will attend
No

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.

within the disease diary
within the apiary work diary
marking individual hives
marking hives to individual apiaries
none
other (please describe)

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)

do not salvage woodenware from diseased hives
immersion of all woodenware from diseased hives for at least 10 minutes in paraffin wax held at 160^o C or above
other (please describe)

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)

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)

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:

Read the exotic disease recognition pamphlet sent out by AgriQuality New Zealand Ltd.
Attend disease recognition field days.
Other (please describe).

During inspections for AFB
Other (please describe).

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).

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: