Episode Details

In this episode, Jeff and Becky sit down with Dr. Tracy Farone, a large animal veterinarian who has applied her expertise to honey bees. Tracy shares her journey from caring for cows and horses to becoming a go-to resource for honey bee health. She dives into the importance of viewing bees as livestock and how a veterinarian's approach to animal care can benefit beekeepers.

Tracy discusses the FDA's 2017 mandate requiring veterinarians to prescribe antibiotics for honey bees, explaining how this has created both challenges and opportunities. She emphasizes the need for stronger relationships between veterinarians and beekeepers, noting that bees should be treated with the same care and attention as other farm animals. Tracy also introduces concepts like strategic deworming and integrated pest management, which are commonly used in large animal care but have clear applications in beekeeping.

Listeners will learn about the growing movement of veterinarians who are being trained to care for honey bees and how beekeepers can proactively seek out veterinary advice to better manage their colonies. This episode provides practical insights into how animal health frameworks can be adapted for honey bees, helping to bridge the gap between veterinary medicine and beekeeping.

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Websites we recommend:

• Tracey's book: https://www.northernbeebooks.co.uk/products/farone-honey-bee-vet/
• Honey Bee Veterinary Consortium: https://www.hbvc.org
• Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org
• The National Honey Board: https://honey.com

• Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: https://honeybeeobscura.com
• 2 Million Blossoms - The Podcast: https://2millionblossoms.com

Copyright © 2024 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

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Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global offers a variety of standard and custom patties. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode!

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