funding for small scale beekeepers
Food

Funding to support to support small scale beekeepers

By Morgan Hampton, Merrit Herald, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Bee BC Program is offering $100,000 in funding for the 2021-22 fiscal year in order to support small scale beekeepers in regional and community-based projects.

Bee Health

The program, which will dole out $400,000 over four years, will focus on enhancing bee health through the province and open an avenue for information sharing, research and field testing of best management practices related to beekeeping.

“Bee health is important, not only for the production of honey, but also for the contribution that bees make to the pollination of many crop species and to the wider environment,” reads a statement from Bee BC.

Up to $5,000 per applicant

Up to $5,000 will be provided for each eligible project. Funding for this intake will be available to successful applicants from Apr. 1, 2021 to Mar. 31, 2022, with projects outside of this time frame not considered at this time.

Participants will be expected to contribute a minimum of 20% towards the total cost of the project, with in-kind contributions also acceptable.

Eligible applicants include individual beekeepers or groups with permitted hives and regional or community-based beekeeping associations, including First Nations communities, that will undertake small-scale or community-based projects that will contribute to overall bee health within the province.

Eligible activities

Examples of some activities which are eligible for funding include implementing a best management practice such as beehive equipment irradiation; purchasing new equipment and implementing it into your bee health strategy; introducing supplements or pollen substitutes and seeding and planning new bee forage that will offer nectar and pollen.

Ineligible activities

Ineligible activities for which funding will not be considered are business development activities geared towards generating income either during the project or after project completion; market development activities or marketing and promotional materials or activities; regular activities related to the production of commercial honey or the purchase of standard equipment needed to maintain a bee colony.

Top photo credit: Merritt area bee hives – courtesy Merritt Herald

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