American Honey Producers Association
56th Annual Conference & Trade Show
Tentative Schedule of Events
Tuesday December 3, 2024
8am-5pm
Vendor Area Set up
10am-4pm
Golf Registration
11am-12pm
Golf Tournament
1-5pm
Convention Registration
6:30-10pm
Welcome Reception
Wednesday December 4, 2024
8am-4pm
Convention Registration
8am-5pm (daily)
Trade Show/Exhibitor Hall Open
8:30am
Opening Address & Committee Assignment – Chris Hiatt, President
8:45am
Seating of the Directors – Steven Coy, Vice President
8:55am
AHPA 2025 Policy Agenda, Eric Silva
9:15am
American Honey Institute – Dr. Brian McCornack, Kansas State University
9:30am
Keynote Address – Dr. Jay Evans, USDA-ARS Beltsville, MD
The USDA-ARS Bee Research Portfolio
10:15am
Genetic Tools for Measuring and Managing Amitraz Resistance
Dr. Frank Rinkevich, USDA-ARS Baton Rouge, LA
10:45am
Coffee Break
11am
Spring and fall trials of alternatives to Bovitraz for Varroa management
Dr. Dan Aurell, Auburn University
11:30am
Multiple approaches to bee disease prevention and control
Dr. Judy Chen, USDA-ARS Beltsville, MD
12pm
Lunch on your own
1:30pm
Tropilaelaps: a looming parasitic threat that we should prepare for
Dr. Geoff Williams, Auburn University
2pm
Connecting the research of the American Association of Professional Apiculturists (AAPA) with beekeepers
Dr. Michael Simone-Finstrom, USDA-ARS, Baton Rouge, LA
2:15pm
Understanding how Tropilaelaps management strategies and dispersal can impact eradication efforts
Rogan Tokach, AAPA Student Award
2:30pm
Addressing Gaps and Emerging Threats
Danielle Downey, Project Apis m.
2:50pm
PAm Panel: Tropilaelaps – Learn to say it, learn to see it!
Panel Moderator: Danielle Downey Panelists: Samantha Brunner, Steven Coy, Izzy Hill, Rogan Tokach and Dr. Geoff Williams
3:30pm
Coffee Break
4pm
Yellow-Legged Hornet Eradication in Georgia Update
Cade Houston, Georgia Department of Agriculture
4:30pm
Impacts of commercial pollination routes on colony health
Dr. Brandon Hopkins, Washington State University
Thursday December 5, 2024
7:30am
New Members Breakfast
8am-4pm
Convention Registration
8:30am
Keynote Address – Bob Binnie
Old Comb and Toxic Chemical Interactions in Our Colonies
9:15am
Pollinator Coordinator Updates
Izzy Hill, USDA
9:45am
Economics of mite control and mite resistant bees in commercial operations
Dr. Arian Avalos, USDA-ARS, Baton Rouge, LA
10:00am
Pollinator Stewardship Council Updates
Dave Hackenberg, Steve Ellis and Bret Adee
10:30am
Coffee Break
11am
Interplay of stressors in bees – new insights and complexities for impacts of pathogens and pesticides
Dr. Diana Cox-Foster, USDA-ARS, Logan, UT
11:30am
Developing Novel Queen Treatments and Identifying Miticide Targets
Dr. Julia Fine, USDA-ARS, Davis, CA
12pm
American Honey PAC lunch
12pm
Lunch on your own
General Session
1:30pm
Honey Trade Cases, Anti-dumping Suit and Reviews Updates
Melissa Brewer, Kelly Drye
1:45pm
Honey Importing Updates
Ron Phipps
2pm
Economics of Honey Production
Dr. Brittney Goodrich, Univ. of Illinois
2:30pm
Liquid gold: A crash course on the type and properties of Texas honey
Dr. Juliana Rangel, TAMU
3pm
Open Q&A with Eric Silva and Melissa Brewer
3pm
Coffee Break
3:30pm
Miksa Family History
Ted Miksa, FL
4pm
Nectar Panel – Passing the Torch: Strategies and Challenges for Generational Transition in Beekeeping
Panel Moderator: Max Cherney, Panelists: Wesley Card, Scott Hamilton, Russell Heitkam, Dylan Kelly.
Sideliner Track
1:30pm
The Chemistry Behind Processing Honey
Bob Binnie
2:15pm
At what point did the bees take over our life? The Journey from 200 to 2,000
Jon Logterman, WI
3pm
Coffee Break
3:30pm
Breeding queens for mite resistance with 400 colonies
Steven Coy
4:10pm
Upgraded IPM Strategies
Nick Groenhof
6pm
Dinner & Live Auction (ticket required)
Friday December 6, 2024
8am-4pm
Convention Registration
8am
Board of Directors Business Meeting (Breakfast Included)
9am
Keynote Address – Dr. Frank Rinkevich, USDA ARS, Baton Rouge, LA
Varroa Resistant Stocks and Its Place in the Future of Beekeeping
9:45am
Micronutrient Needs and Long-Term Impact of Artificial Feed on Honeybee Colonies in Stressful Field Conditions
Dr. Brandon Hopkins, Washington State University
10:15am
Integrating rough hive bodies in beekeeping operations to improve bee health
Dr. Michael Simone-Finstrom, USDA-ARS, Baton Rouge, LA
10:45am
Coffee Break
11:15am
Economics of Almond Pollination
Dr. Brittney Goodrich, University of Illinois
11:45am
Impact of Commercial Pollination Services on Honey Bee Colony Performance and Forager Behavior
Dr. Arathi Seshadri, USDA-ARS, Stoneville, MS
12:15pm
The seasonal challenges of honey bees stressors and solutions for overwintering colonies
Dr. Mark Carroll, USDA-ARS, Tucson, AZ
12:45pm
The 2023-2024 U.S. Beekeeping Survey: Loss results and state of Varroa IPM
Dr. Geoff Williams, Auburn University, AL
