Utah Department of Agriculture and Food

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Written by Larry Lewis

Category: Bees & Beekeeping

Published: 12 October 2017

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In 1892, beekeepers successfully lobbied the Utah territorial legislature to pass the first bee inspection act. The legislation was needed to reduce the spread of deadly foulbrood diseases, which had become rampant. Today beekeepers deal with many new threats in addition to old ones like foulbrood. The Utah Bee Inspection Act is designed to help protect Utah’s bees and beekeepers. Below are links to the current version of the Utah Bee Inspection Act and the rules governing it. Beekeepers should check with their city and county to see what ordinances (if any) they have that relate to bees and beekeeping.

Utah Bee Inspection Act

Bee Inspection Act Rules

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Written by Miles Maynes

Category: Bees & Beekeeping

Published: 30 December 2016

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What is the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD)?

The Veterinary Feed Directive is a rule that regulates how medically important antibiotics—medications that are important for treating human disease—can be administered to animals in feed and drinking water. Among the provisions, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will require veterinary oversight whenever such antibiotics are administered to any animal species via feed or water, even if the animals are not intended for food production. The VFD took effect on January 1st, 2017.

Please watch this video to familiarize yourself with the VFD. 

How is UDAF and the Apiary Program involved?

UDAF and the Apiary Program are not responsible for implementation or enforcement of the VFD rule. The VFD rule is a federal level rule that was written by the FDA and is now enforced by the FDA. UDAF and the Apiary Program are working to educate beekeepers on the requirements and to find veterinarians who are willing to work with beekeepers. This is being done to lessen the impact of VFD implementation on beekeepers in Utah.

Why is the VFD being implemented?

The driving force for the initial VFD rule in 1996 and the recent revisions is improving drug availability for the benefit of animal health and welfare, and, in turn, food safety. The increasing threat of antibiotic resistance (antimicrobial resistance) to both human and animal health compelled the FDA to take action by removing production uses of medically important antibiotics and implementing greater veterinary oversight by transitioning over-the-counter (OTC) antibiotics to VFD or prescription status. Any antibiotic use can contribute to antibiotic resistance, so it is important to avoid unnecessary or inappropriate uses of antibiotics. The use of medically important antibiotics in livestock is one factor that can contribute to increasing resistance, and the 2017 VFD revisions (published in June 2015) aim to put responsibility for their use into the hands of veterinarians, who are trained to understand not only when these medications are needed, but also what is the appropriate drug, dose, duration, and administration method to resolve infection and protect animal health and our food supply. The expertise of the veterinarian is critical to ensuring the responsible use of antibiotics in animals.

How does the VFD affect beekeepers?

Beekeepers use antibiotics to treat European foulbrood (EFB) and American foulbrood (AFB). Beekeepers will need to comply with the VFD rule when they apply antibiotics to their hives. Meaning beekeepers will need to work with a licensed veterinarian to obtain and lawfully apply antibiotics to their hives. The Apiary Program has compiled a list of veterinarians that are interested in working with beekeepers.

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Written by Miles Maynes

Category: Bees & Beekeeping

Published: 30 December 2016

Hits: 15244

 
Prescription or VFD?

In most cases it will be easier for both the Veterinarian and the Beekeeper to use a prescription rather than a Veterinarian Feed Directive (VFD). Prescriptions will still require the veterinarian to visit the apiary in question and to collect samples themselves. A prescription will be easier in most instances because the veterinarian can issue the antibiotics directly to the beekeeper without having to go through a licensed feed mill. Please consult this guide to see which formulations can be written as a prescription and which must be written as a VFD.

Critical Veterinarian Feed Directive Information

The FDA Veterinary Feed Directive rule (VFD) is now in full effect. It is important for veterinarians to remember that they are liable for ensuring that VFDs are correct and complete. Veterinarians should also ensure that they are only writing VFDs as part of a valid Veterinarian Client Patient Relationship (VCPR) as defined by the state of Utah. Veterinarians should begin familiarizing themselves with the VFD by watching this video.

The full text of the VFD can be found here.

All veterinarians who are planning on writing VFDs should familiarize themselves with these documents:

• Guidelines for extra-label use in minor species
• Guidance for Industry #120
• VCPR rules and statutes for Utah

Honeybee Biology & Beekeeping

It is recommended that veterinarians familiarize themselves with honeybee biology and beekeeping by watching this video series created by the University of Georgia. Veterinarians who want a more sophisticated understanding of honey bees should read “Honeybee Veterinary Medicine: Apis mellifera L.” by Nicolas Vidal-Naquet. Veterinarians can contact the Apiary Program with any questions or requests for assistance at:

(801) 538-4912
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Submitting Samples for Diagnostic Testing

Honey bee samples should be submitted to the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Entomology Laboratory for diagnostic testing. Please fill out the form below and include it with the sample(s). Sampling instructions are included on the back of the form.

Honey Bee Diagnostic Testing Submission Form

Please mail samples to:

Utah Department of Agriculture and Food
Entomology Lab
350 N. Redwood Rd.
Salt Lake City, UT 84114

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Written by Miles Maynes

Category: Bees & Beekeeping

Published: 30 December 2016

Hits: 15475

• apiary,
• veterinarian,
• beekeeping,

If you are a veterinarian and would like to be added to or removed from the list, or have your information updated, please contact (801) 538-4912 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..