§ 3021. Definitions

As used in this chapter:

(1) “Abandoned apiary” means any apiary in this State whose location has not been registered with the Secretary and for which the owner cannot be located after reasonable effort.

(2) “Apiary” means a place where one or more colonies of bees are kept and shall include hives and bees.

(3) “Bee” means the insect commonly known as the honey bee (apis mellifera), or other species of the genus apis, at any stage of its existence, including the egg, larval, pupal, or adult stages.

(4) “Brood comb” means a structure of cells composed of beeswax in which bees lay their eggs and in which immature bees are reared.

(5) “Colony” means the hive and its equipment, including bees, comb, and honey.

(6) “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets.

(7) “Agency” means the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets.

(8) “Destroy” means to burn bees, combs, and frames, or other equipment that cannot be disinfected by scorching or other approved methods.

(9) “Disease” shall mean any serious malady that is infectious, contagious, or injurious to bees and shall include American foulbrood, European foulbrood, or external or internal parasites or parasitoids of bees.

(10) “Equipment” means hives, supers, and frames.

(11) “Hive” means frame, hive, box hive, box, barrel, log gum, skep, or other receptacle or container, natural or artificial, or any part thereof, that is used or employed as a domicile for bees.

(12) “Honeycomb” means a structure of cells composed of beeswax in which bees store honey.

(13) “Inspector” means any person designated by the Secretary to inspect apiaries and enforce this chapter.

(14) “Owner” means a person who in any way owns, leases, possesses, or otherwise controls an apiary, colony, hive, bees, or equipment and shall include the agent of such person.

(15) “Person” shall include all corporations, partnerships, associations, societies, individuals or group of individuals, or any employee, servant, or agent acting for or employed by any person as defined in this subdivision. (Added 1983, No. 83, § 1; amended 1989, No. 256 (Adj. Sess.), § 10(a), eff. Jan. 1, 1991; 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003; 2017, No. 113 (Adj. Sess.), § 31.)