January is a big month for beekeeping conventions, if only because Marylanders cannot do much with the bees themselves for a while. Maryland beekeepers were present at meetings on both sides of the country as delegates, attendees, competitors, networkers, customers, and apiculturists intent on learning what they can to help their bees and grow their understanding and skills.

The American Beekeeping Federation (ABF) Conference, including the Apiary Inspectors of America meeting, has been a staple for about 80 years. Maryland is a State Member of ABF, and has two delegate slots within the organization. At present, MSBA has nominated Lisa Marie Ghezzi and Fred Smith to represent us.

The North American Honey Bee Expo (NAHBE) has been around a comparatively short time (in a couple of iterations), since the summer of 2019. NAHBE has nonetheless become the largest beekeeping conference in North America, welcoming more than 3,600 participants from January 2-4, 2025.

About the American Beekeeping Federation Conference and Activities

ABF held its 2025 conference in Reno, Nevada January 7-11. Among many excellent speakers and topics over the five days, industry luminaries Dr. Marla Spivak (University of Minnesota), Dr. Scott McArt (Cornell University) and Dr. Geoff Williams (Auburn University) addressed important topics on varroa management, neonicotinoid research and understanding Tropilaelaps mites. ABF’s 2026 conference will be held in Mobile, Alabama.

ABF is working on your behalf, in the interest of all beekeepers, large and small, and those in association with the beekeeping industry to ensure the future of the honey bee. Many critical issues face all beekeepers today – pollinator health, forage decline in quality and quantity, pesticide exposure, adulterated honey, pests of the hive. ABF addresses each of these challenges through its advocacy of and/or funding for:

• rebuilding and developing new foraging habitat to promote healthy honey bees and honey production.
• surveys to document the loss rates of managed honey bee colonies in the US over time.
• developing better methods of detecting adulterated honey and improving enforcement of the law. 
• encouraging USDA-ARS to fill all currently funded positions at the ARS honey bee labs.
• increasing emphasis on honey bee crop pollination research by government agencies.
• continuing research to understand best methods for beekeepers to detect and manage the potential future threat of the Tropilaelaps mite.
• and more.

Most recently, with the severe and sudden losses of managed honey bees across the nation, ABF is working collaboratively with Project Apis m, the American Honey Producers Association, apiculture extension programs and commercial beekeepers to collect information and assess losses to determine next steps.  To learn more about what ABF is doing for you and how you can get involved, please ask your Maryland Delegates Lisa Marie Ghezzi and Fred Smith, or visit www.ABFnet.org.

Maryland Champions

Both the ABF and NAHBE honey shows represent a national level of competition for participants, and MSBA members brought home an impressive share of a rainbow of ribbons!

ABF's competition is known as The American Honey Show. Lisa Ghezzi, one of our ABF delegates, brought home a blue ribbon for Water White Honey!

NAHBE uses judges and criteria from the American Honey Show Training Council, based on but evolved from the Welsh honey judging system. This year's show included almost 1200 exhibits and relied upon more than 70 trained judges.

Winners included:

• Marion Iannuzzi: 3rd-Honey Candy
• Kim Mehalick: 2nd-Infused Honey, non-spicy; 3rd-Traditional Mead, Dry; 3rd-Honey Confections; 4th-Honey Breads, Loaves; 4th-Traditional Mead, Sweet; 5th-Honey Cake, Cupcakes and Petit Fours
• Monica Schmitt: 1st-Beeswax Block, Standard
• Francis Stepanek: 1st-Pollen; 4th-Beekeeping Gadgets; 6th-Artwork Related to Beekeeping
• Valerie Wampler: 1st-Honey Candy; 2nd-Beeswax Block, Large; 2nd-Needlecraft; 2nd-Honey Cake, Cupcakes and Petits Fours; 3rd-Beeswax Candles, Molded Ornamental; 5th-Beeswax Candles, Floating; 5th-Honey Breads, Rolls and Muffins;
• Rob Yochem: 6th-Novice Extracted Honey

[Return to February 2025 Beeline newsletter]