The purpose of this article is to:
These regulations are adopted under the authority
granted by § 59.64(6), Wis. Stats.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
A place where one or more colonies of bees are kept, often
called a "bee yard."
The colony is made up of bees, queen and young bees in all
stages of development, plus the equipment in which they are hived
or housed.
The concentration of colonies of bees at a location to ensure
pollination of a specific field, garden or orchard crop, to assure
crop production.
Anyone possessing or moving colonies of bees
into or within the county must register the location with the office
of the County Agricultural Extension Agent.
[Amended by Ord. No. 81-3]
B.
Every location of an apiary is to be registered annually
between January 1 and May 1 each and every year without exception
to secure such rights, for the purpose of this article, according
to the earliest date of filing. Registration of an apiary in a prior
year shall reserve a proprietary interest to a location for the next
registration period subject to the terms and conditions of this article.
Failure to establish or renew an apiary by registration in any given
year shall terminate a preexisting interest to such apiary as may
have been previously established by said registration.
[Amended by Ord. No. 94-7]
Anyone moving colonies of bees from a registered
location automatically loses registration for that location. This
prohibition shall not, however, apply with respect to a beekeeper
who moves a colony of bees from a registered location for the winter
months so long as the colony is returned to the registered location
in question no later than May 15 after the winter for which the colony
was moved.
Anyone failing to register an apiary location
will have no protection from another beekeeper locating colonies of
bees near that apiary.
Landowners may place their own colonies of bees
on property they own regardless of other registered locations.
Special permission may be granted for temporary
location of colonies of bees for the express purpose of heavy saturation
pollination for a period not to exceed 18 days.
Each apiary must have the owner's name and address
legibly displayed in a prominent place in the apiary.
The minimum distance between apiaries, unless
otherwise agreed to between adjoining beekeepers, shall be:
A violator shall have five days after receiving
notification of the violation, by certified mail or personal service,
in which to move any colonies of bees located in violation of this
article before prosecution may be commenced.
Any person who fails to comply with the provisions
of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, forfeit not more than
$200 and the costs for prosecution for each violation and, in default
of payment of such forfeiture and costs, may be imprisoned in the
county jail until payment thereof, but not exceeding 30 days.
