Fla. Stat. § 586.01
Short title
This chapter shall be known as the “Florida Honey Certification and Honeybee Law.”
Florida Statutes Chapter 586 — HONEY CERTIFICATION AND HONEYBEES
Florida · statute · Fla. Stat. ch. 586 · 14 active provisions
Fla. Stat. § 586.02
Definitions
As used in this chapter:(1) “Apiary” means a beeyard or site where honeybee hives, honeybees, or honeybee equipment is located.(2) “Apiculture” means the raising, caring for, and breeding of honeybees.(3) “Beekeeping equipment” means honeybee hives, frames, supers, pallets, queen excluders, and other equipment which is…
Fla. Stat. § 586.025
Unlawful acts
It shall be unlawful to:(1) Introduce into this state any honeybee pest or an unwanted race of honeybees, except under special permit issued by the department, which shall be the sole issuing agency for such special permits.(2) Use the terms “certified honey,” “certified,” “registered,” or “inspected” or any other term…
Fla. Stat. § 586.03
Certification and labeling of Florida-produced honey
(1) Any beekeeper or his or her representative managing honeybees in this state may make application to the department for inspection and sample analysis on which qualification for “certified honey,” or for special certification, shall be based.(2) When requested by beekeepers, honeybee products processors, or other in…
Fla. Stat. § 586.045
Certificates of registration and inspection
(1) Each beekeeper having honeybee colonies within the state shall apply to the department, on forms supplied by the department, for certificates of inspection and registration, and for annual renewal on the anniversary date of the registration. An application for renewal postmarked after the anniversary date shall be…
Fla. Stat. § 586.055
Location of apiaries
An apiary may be located on land classified as agricultural under s. 193.461 or on land that is integral to a beekeeping operation.
Fla. Stat. § 586.10
Powers and duties of department; preemption of local government ordinances
(1) The authority to regulate, inspect, and permit managed honeybee colonies and to adopt rules on the placement and location of registered inspected managed honeybee colonies is preempted to the state through the department and supersedes any related ordinance adopted by a county, municipality, or political subdivisio…
Fla. Stat. § 586.11
Certificate of inspection to accompany interstate shipments; enforcement
(1) All honeybees, except bees in combless packages, and used beekeeping equipment shipped or moved into this state shall be accompanied by a certificate of inspection issued by the state of origin.(2)(a) The certificate shall certify that the apiaries owned or operated by the beekeeper or his or her agents or represen…
Fla. Stat. § 586.112
Stop-sale or stop-movement notice
The department may issue and enforce a stop-sale or stop-movement notice to the owner or custodian of any honeybees, honeybee products, or honeybee equipment found or suspected to be in violation of this chapter or any department rules promulgated thereunder. The notice shall prohibit further sale, barter, exchange, or…
Fla. Stat. § 586.13
Removal, destruction, or treatment of infested or infected honeybees or beekeeping equipment
(1) If the department finds any honeybees, honeybee products, or used beekeeping equipment or other articles infested or infected with honeybee pests or an unwanted race of honeybees, notification shall be given in writing to the owner or person having charge of the apiary to that effect. The owner or person in charge…
Fla. Stat. § 586.14
Compensation for beekeeping equipment and honeybees contained therein destroyed due to infection with American foulbrood
Upon destruction of honeybees or honeybee equipment infected with American foulbrood, Bacillus larvae, Florida resident owners of honeybees and beekeeping equipment may receive compensation from the department. This compensation shall be up to 50 percent of the appraised value of the destroyed property, providing funds…
Fla. Stat. § 586.15
Penalty for violation
(1) A person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083 for the first offense, and commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084 for a second or subsequent offens…
Fla. Stat. § 586.16
Handling of money received
All money received by the department as fees and penalties under the provisions of this chapter shall be deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of the Plant Industry Trust Fund and shall be used by the department to defray its expenses in carrying out the duties imposed on it by this chapter.
Fla. Stat. § 586.161
Honeybee Technical Council
(1) COMPOSITION.—The Honeybee Technical Council is created in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and shall be composed of seven members to be appointed by the Commissioner of Agriculture of which there shall be five representatives of the honeybee industry, one representative of the Institute of Food a…