Audubon Beekeepers Association

Goals and Purpose

The main purpose of the Audubon Beekeepers Association (ABA) is to promote better beekeeping by achieving the following objectives:

• Inform members about honeybees and beekeeping

• Provide training in the art of beekeeping

• Teach about the importance and contribution of honeybees to the welfare of all people

• Encourage others to become members of the ABA

For a community to become more productive, a cooperative effort must be sought. Crop producers must seek to educate themselves and the public to the benefits of locally grown and value-added manufactured products. These products are created with Kentucky pride and are direct-marketed. The consumer prefers to purchase a value-added product from farmers and crop producers who have demonstrated a commitment to quality, a personal approach in marketing and a sense of pride in their product.

This becomes more evident today as we see more urbanization of rural farming communities and a changing lifestyle in the farming community. A co-operative and combined effort must be approached that seeks to utilize the combined talents of agriculture, science, computer and statistical process control, engineering, and regulatory agencies. We must look for information to be passed freely and shared by all, and use techniques and methods that industries have used to gain increased profit, improved quality, and cooperation in the workplace.

New methods must be explored and old regulations reviewed and improved. The idea that “we have always done it this way” may not apply anymore. We must continue to look for better ways to produce a quality product on less acreage and improve quality and customer satisfaction, using continuous improvement methods and practices, and round table discussions. Root case analysis must become a tool of the agriculture community. People are reluctant to change, however, industries have demonstrated that it can be done. The same must apply to the farming community if it is to survive.

The ABA proposes an innovative idea and approach that can benefit the community of crop producers, as well as, the consumer. We can not offer much in the way of cost sharing, as we are a non-profit cooperative association working to benefit the community, crop producers, and the beekeepers. We offer our time and talents to commit to this project. We also offer the in-kind expense of our existing hives for crop pollination and the completion of this project. We seek to educate and bring together the crop producer and beekeeper to improve crop pollination, and to produce queens and bees in Kentucky.