This searchable bee law website is intended to be used as a tool for the public to use in its research of Iowa cities and the respective city codes regarding the keeping of honey bees. It is believed to be the only searchable bee law website in the nation. No updates or new cities will be added as of Sept. 2016.
In 2015, research for twenty cities were funded by the Iowa Honey Producers Association. Research for an additional seventy-seven cities and this searchable bee law website were funded by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) through the Iowa Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (details below).
IDALS is responsible for a wide range of programs that affect the quality of life of every Iowan. Both Iowans living on the farm and those in our towns and cities are impacted almost daily by the work of the Department, including the Sensitive Crops Directory and enforcing the “Pesticide/Bee Rule” of the Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 21-45.31(206). Effective January 22, 2009, the Rule was designed to help protect honey bees from chemicals that are toxic to bees. The Rule reads:
“45.31(1) Owners of apiaries, in order to protect their bees from pesticide applications, shall register the location of their apiaries with the state apiarist. Registration shall be on forms provided by the department. The registration expires December 31 each year and may be renewed the following year.
45.31(2) Between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., a commercial applicator shall not apply to blooming crops pesticides labeled as toxic to bees when the commercial applicator is located within one mile of a registered apiary.; A commercial applicator shall be responsible for maintaining the one-mile distance from apiaries that are registered and listed on the sensitive crop registry on the first day of each month.
This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code sections 206.6(5)”a”(3) and 206.19(2).”
This project was supported by the Iowa Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through grant 15SCBGPIA0001. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.