On Tuesday the city’s health board overturned the long time ban on beekeeping in NYC. Until now, the city’s health department had categorized honeybees with around 100 other creatures deemed too dangerous to be kept in town including ferrets and poisonous snakes. The logic was that bees do sting and that their venom can be dangerous for people suffering from allergies.

Although the ban on beekeeping in NYC was there, several New York residents have tended to beehives on their rooftops and gardens for years not mindful of the law. The movement to end the beekeeping ban became bigger after the First Lady Michelle Obama had a hive installed in the South Lawn in the White House.

The coordinator at the urban agriculture group East New York Farms, Mr. David Virgil said that bees were a good topic if one wanted to start a conversation. East New York Farms have two hives in Brooklyn and holds seminars on the topic of beekeeping.

Mr. Vergil further said that a single hive could produce almost 100 pounds of honey in a year. Bees were also instrumental in the pollination of all varieties of crops.

People who are interested in a starting a colony of bees will have to register with their city but no license will be necessary. Health officials said that the registration would just help to resolve problems later on, if any complaints are registered.

The city has lifted the ban only for the honey producing Apis

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One Response to “Beekeeping In NYC No Longer a Crime”

1. uberVU - social comments says:

   April 6, 2010 at 12:06 pm

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