New York Statewide Rule
New York Statewide Apiary Inspection and Beekeeping Law
Key Facts
- Statute
- Ag & Markets Art. 15
- Sections
- 173-175-b
- Authority
- State Apiarist
- Disease control
- Mandatory statewide
Summary
Agriculture and Markets Law Article 15 establishes a uniform statewide apiary inspection program with mandatory disease control standards applicable to all hives in New York.
No person shall keep in such person's possession or under such person's care any colony of bees affected with a contagious or infectious disease or infested by disease or parasitic organisms adversely affecting bees, or by species or subspecies of bees which have been determined by the commissioner to cause injury, directly or indirectly, to the public safety or to this state's managed bee population, crops, or other plants.
Full Breakdown
Article 15 of the Agriculture and Markets Law, sections 173 through 175-b, requires beekeepers to maintain disease-free apiaries and submit to inspection by the Department. The statute authorizes the Commissioner to quarantine, treat, or destroy infected colonies and regulates movement of bees and equipment into and around the state. While zoning of hives remains a local matter, sanitary and disease standards apply uniformly across the state.
Violations & Penalties
Failure to comply with inspection orders, importing diseased bees, or refusing treatment can result in civil penalties, hive destruction without compensation, and criminal misdemeanor charges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to register beehives in New York?
Can my town ban backyard beekeeping?
Sources
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