As Joel Salatin wrote, “Everything I want to do is illegal.”
This can often feel true, especially when you want to live a more self-sufficient life. Not all of us are in a situation where we can live in a rural area. Perhaps you have a “city” job that you enjoy, but would like a small garden plot, or to raise a few chickens for eggs or keep a hive of bees.
It’s been proven time and time again that small, well-managed livestock can thrive in an urban setting. Which makes it frustrating when local laws prevent people from partaking in small-scale hobby ventures like beekeeping.
I’m convinced that many of these laws exist because there is an outdated ignorance among the general public about what urban farming actually looks like.
We’ve removed ourselves so far from our food sources that the reintroduction of these practices seems odd and even worrisome to people who haven’t been exposed.
Where beekeeping is concerned, there’s even more at stake than your right to produce your own food, there’s also the worldwide concern about the bee population in general. Bees need our help, and government should be encouraging anyone who wants to get involved.
But things can change, and you can be the one to change them. On almost a weekly basis, a positive story comes through my news feed that neighborhoods, cities, and townships are changing these restrictive laws and allowing people to raise a few chickens, keep bees on building rooftops, and dig up their lawns to plant a garden.
Tips to change bee laws in your area
Arm your self with knowledge
Ignorance is the enemy here. Where bees are concerned, the big drawback is stinging. People imagine giant swarms of bees attacking children, mistaken Africanized colonies killing people etc.
You must have a knowledgeable grasp of how a hive behaves, why swarms are not threatening because they aren’t protecting a home, and a well-informed knowledge of beekeeping in general.
Beekeeping examples
Showing examples of beekeeping working successfully in similar situations is a great tool. This can give your area a plan to mimic.
Get a passionate, experienced beekeeper on board
Chances are, if you’re fighting for beekeeping to be allowed in your area, you don’t own a hive. Find someone who can lend their experience to the situation. This gives your argument more credibility.
Hone in on the person responsible for making changes
Often these sorts of things are blandly put in front of a board. The advocates are strangers, they’re allowed to speak for their 20 minute session, give their case, and then a decision is made. There’s not a lot of personal connection being made.
Find out the representative responsible and reach out to them. Introduce yourself andtell them why you’re passionate.
Locals who support the cause
Get your community on board. Organize a beekeeping meeting so people can be reassured about the safety of beekeeping. Let them ask all their questions before you get to vote.
Humanitarian effort
As I’ve said in past posts, beekeeping can be seen as a humanitarian effort. It’s not just about honey, it’s about the food we eat. The world needs bees. Stress how backyard beekeepers are helping to increase the number of pollinators worldwide.
Read more in my post The Ethics of Beekeeping.
Media
Contact your local media. You’ll reach a lot of people with your message, and will often get the community to feel passionate and supportive.
11 Comments
The Gov should give money to people to start keeping and taking care for honey bees . They give it to so many causes that’s not good but this would be a great step to saving bees.
You would think the US government would give Grant’s to start up bee colonies and help train them . There using millions to see what kind of insects are in your community why not help save the honey bee.
Thank you for this wonderful article. A year ago, I approached my own city council, who had actually taken the trouble to ban (!) backyard beekeeping 4 years earlier. I wanted to convince the city council that improving local bee safety meant allowing backyard bees, not banning them. I was warned ahead of time by my city planner that since the council members who had banned backyard beekeeping were still in power, my odds of success were “diddly-squat.”
Shockingly, I was successful. What helped was 1) using a sensible, neighbor-friendly set of regulations from our neighboring town as a precedent for our own laws; 2) reminding the council of the success in nearby cities who’d allowed backyard beekeeping with no ill effects (LA and San Diego being the biggest); 3) citing the science of local bee scientists as ammunition for dispelling misunderstandings about issues esp. regarding Africanized bees. I sent the council a one-page draft of regulations and a one-page letter citing the scientific arguments supporting my proposed policy change, and it worked. When I went to the “open mic” session the following week, I was told I’d convinced them, and they’d work on regulations. We’ll have some beekeeping regs in place soon.
Anyone who wishes to get help with their own towns, feel free to get in touch–I can give you the materials that helped me.
Thank you Dr. Loftus!
If you wouldn’t mind, we would love to publish the materials that helped you to the website.
All the best,
Keeping Backyard Bees Team
I am a retired truck driver and have often wondered why people would put the bees so close to the roads when they would haul them in? I can’t count the bees who commit suicide on my windshield. Now that I’m off the road I’m looking at starting a hive on our property a couple miles from the main road. There is a place in Durango Colorado called HoneyVille who has been they’re for ever, and make all kinds of foods! I’m sure they are full of knowledge, and tips.
Well stated. Thanks!
Well said. “We’ve removed ourselves so far from our food sources that the re-introduction of these practices seems odd and even worrisome to people who haven’t been exposed.” And those very same people are the ones deciding that one cannot even keep a few Rooster free chickens in the small city of Sequim, WA which once was a thriving farming community.
What is the best way to control small hive beetles. I thought I had them under control but this evening I saw many of them flying around the entrance with a few entering
What person in their right mind would raise bees in a congested urban area?
Yuba County in California are as hard as they com just to talk about it with out but to a vote will cost you dearly out of pocket. It floored me when after keeping bees in Sacramento county in my back yard I move to Yuba and as a courtesy I contacted the county and find out the Ag Department has no problem with it, the county laws say it is illegal to keep them on you lot at home. I know a lot of people that have hive in their back yard in the county. Get these this is a Ag County and if they would outlaw bees any one could
There should be a law stating: If your registered and paying dues in an association or club and registered project following the laws of your state or county and with that project or club or association…bee farming, bee keeper or bee garden conservation program or butterfly conservation project like pollinator.org or monarch watch and others , You put all the signs out to let people know.. Please Be aware, you are a home bee business owner or gardener monitoring the area for weeds and other unwelcomed situations..trying to keep land planted with flowers or wild flowers for bees and other pollinators and want you to be safe and keep those pollinators safe also. The law should protect the owners or those certain projects and protect that property from trespassers and from dangerous activities which would disturb the area of the bees planted or their working planted spots!… except where it would concern state or county or your local township for work projects like gas lines or high wires or towers and such! Hunters have that privilege being they also are conservationists.., so should people who are trying to honor our wild bees and pollinators who keep us fed and give us healthy activities for everyone around the area! We promote bees and their honey and other products they make and help keep what they do out of harms way and also promote a healthy way of life for ourselves!