The Iowa Bee Rule was established in June 1980 to protect honey bees in Iowa from unnecessary insecticide poisoning. This rule created a mechanism for beekeepers to voluntarily register the location of their beehives. In turn, the state provided the beehive location information to pesticide applicators so they could communicate with beekeepers in advance of application of pesticides toxic to bees in the vicinity of registered hives.

Beehive registration was formerly accomplished through the office of the state apiarist within the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS). The state apiarist position was eliminated earlier this year during budget cutbacks. Beehive registration is now handled by the Agricultural Diversification and Marketing Bureau of IDALS. The contact person is Steve Pedersen, Wallace State Office Building, 502 E. 9th St., Des Moines, IA 50319. His phone number is (515) 281-7657 and his E-mail address is steve.pedersen@idals.state.ia.us

Applicators unable to access the online registration list are encouraged to call Steve Pedersen (see above) to receive a printed list. The Apiary Registration List is updated frequently as new information is submitted.

Downloadable license, permit, and registration forms for beekeepers are available online .

Pesticide applicators can view the list of registered beehives here .

This article originally appeared in the May 3, 2002 issue, p. 54.