Roles and Responsibilities

The Saskatchewan Beekeepers Development Commission (SBDC) was established in March, 2006 and began collecting check-off on April 1, 2006. The purpose of the SBDC is to collect a refundable check-off from beekeepers to fund research and development that is intended to research new market opportunities, improve production, decrease input costs, increased demand and create an overall better product.

Registered Beekeepers

To be considered a registered beekeeper, you must have paid check-off to the SBDC in the last year and have not received a refund of that check-off. As a registered beekeeper with the SBDC, there are benefits including voting privileges, eligibility to run as a director, access to research and a strong industry voice to fight for issues important to beekeepers.

Important Issues

• Board Members

How the agency works

The SBDC is funded by a check-off of $0.50 per colony in production, per year. Beekeepers with 100 or more colonies in production must remit the check-off to the SBDC by May 31 of each year. In addition to the check-off, these beekeepers are required to pay a $25 registration fee on an annual basis. Beekeepers with less than 100 colonies in production are not required to remit the check-off or registration fee, however they may choose to participate in the SBDC by paying the check-off and fee at their option. The check-off rate is determined by order of the commission. From the levy raised, the agency performs research and development activities that are intended to reduce beekeeper’s costs of production, increase production or develop new markets.

Publications:

2006 Annual Report

Industry facts

• 127 commercial beekeepers
• 79,621 colonies produced by commercial beekeepers
• 255 lbs/colony produced in 2006 (180 lbs in 2005)

How to Contact Us

Saskatchewan Beekeepers Development Commission
Box 55, R.R. 3
Yorkton, SK S3N 2X5
Phone: (306) 783-7046
Mr. Wink Howland, Sec/Treas

Regulations

Orders

Tim Wendell, MacNutt, Chair
 

Board members are responsible to producers. If you are a producer and have concerns about the current operations or have ideas about what issues the organization should be working on, please contact any of them.

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