Beekeepers in Italy

Here is the Toscana group: https://toscanamiele.com/
The Umbrian group is: http://apau.it/
Best search term apicoltura.

The Tuscan association based in Lucca has a listing for 6 collective honey farms, 'Mielerie collettive', They list a contact address of [email protected].

Wonderful Mike- you are a wealth of information. Are You a beekeeper? I will reach out to your recommendations. Thank you.

How interesting! I’m not a beekeeper, but my younger brother in Australia is. I just know the importance of having bees and how things aren’t going so well right now. Have another friend who lost all his hives a couple of years ago. So sad.

As a reminder and you may know, please pack your honey in a checked bag so you get it there! Not TSA friendly.

Italy have any agricultural restrictions on the import of (unprocessed) honey?

I suppose there may be regulations…

I can’t really imagine that they would be an issue.

Where I am —there are pretty distinct guidelines between Hobbyists and Commercial Bee Keepers. I’m just a Hobbyist. These are just simple gifts, very small jars—nothing for sale/commerce… -nothing that’s going to topple the Italian Honey Market.

SJS—-

Yes.. I was recently at a Honeybee convention in TN.

We did a big Honey jar exchange… I came away with 24 jars… even that was too heavy for my luggage… so I shipped it up myself.. haha

nothing for sale/commerce… -nothing that’s going to topple the Italian Honey Market.

My thought was not about commerce angle, but more the 'driving into Calif. and having the agricultural inspection' kind of issues. I have no idea if there are regulation/restriction, but before you pack it and lug it in your bags it may be good to know it won't be confiscated when you get there.

Yes-there are Agricultural guidelines in bring Plants and fruits and meats into CA—as they may be carrying LIVE Insects—that are not Native to this area, and could do harm. Honey is not such a product, Since the Agricultural produced in CA are something like the 8th top produced in the US or Worldwide…but-I’m confident that it should be fine. Thank you for your concern.

There are very strict agricultural regulations on the import of products to the US and they are enforced at all international airports. I do not know if there are any regulations in regards to honey but you should look up and understand them prior to your trip. Italy may or may not have similar regulations.

Interesting. In Australia, it is illegal to import honey, bees, comb, queens and used equipment like boxes from the eastern Aus states into Western Australia.
Kangaroo Island about 15km off the coast of South Australia has been a bee sanctuary since about 1895. The purest strain of Ligurian bees in the world is to be found on Kangaroo Island. We have bought Ligurian queens from Kangaroo Island.
Varroa - every apiarist’s nightmare.

Unprocessed honey is a product that could transfer deseases, bacterias, insects: is very nutrient! For this reason is very controlled at custom and in several countries is absolutely forbidden import any quantity.
In European Union is allowed, as far as I know, in a little quantity for "personal use": 2Kg. Read this: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/carry/meat-dairy-animal/index_en.htm
In USA honey should be admissible: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/know-before-you-go/prohibited-and-restricted-items#:~:text=As%20a%20general%20rule%2C%20condiments,U.S.%20Food%20and%20Drug%20Administration.
So my suggestion, to make exchanges, is to prepare several little jars (1/8 of Kg = 125g, almost a quarter of pound) to bring with you, not exceeding very much the total weight. Is even possible that nobody controls you, especially if you have a connection within EU but in another country.

My grandfather was a beekeeper in Berlin. He sold Linden honey. The Lindens trees grew predominantly in East Berlin. My grandfather and his bees were located in West Berlin. His "garden" was located about 20 yards from the barbed wire that eventually became the wall. The bees were oblivious to the mine field, guards and guard dogs and gun towers. He's been gone for over 30 years but I still have a jar of the honey. The memories of working with the bees are priceless.
He swore by his Italian bees. He described them as gentle. Perhaps so but a mistake or two while processing got them pretty active. It's amazing how a couple bees inside your suit can turn your day on end.
When I came home from a trip there in 1972 he insisted that I return with a queen and a small army of worker bees. He put them in a little container made of wood, glass and mesh. The queen and a handful of her workers survived. I found a local beekeeper who was interested in making a go at raising them. I spent the rest of the summer making trips out to his hives to tend the bees. I still have my copy of the Root book and plans to eventually get back into keeping bees. They are a lot of work but it is very satisfying. Maybe next year?

Excellent story, Mack, with an ending every traveler needs to remember.