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Apiarist

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Explore Being an Apiarist with Jerry Hayes


cz:Briefly describe your job.

My Official title is Chief, Apiary Section, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The State of Florida recognized years ago the importance of honey bees for agricultural production of honey but more importantly for pollination/production of the billions of dollars worth of Florida fruits and vegetables.

The Apiary Section has a staff of 14 Apiary Field Inspectors and African Bee ID Lab and support staff. Our assignment is to help beekeepers be more successful which entails regulatory pest, parasite and disease oversight, special inspections for shipping of honey bee colonies to other states, honey certification and monitoring an extensive research commitment. We have approximately 1700 registered beekeepers in the state representing 250,000 colonies that require our attention daily.

cz:How long have you been working in this field?

25 years

cz:When and how did you decide to choose this career?

I started off in life as a High School Teacher. For a number of reasons this was a depressing eye opener for a new college graduate wanting to change the world. I thought to myself “boy, I have made a mistake.” I segued into private industry for awhile. I had a person who worked with me who was a beekeeper. I had heard about honey bees before as agriculturally important and as a small or large business revenue source. I learned more about honey bees and started a backyard colony and as is typical of new beekeepers became excited and consumed by this new world.

cz:What education/training did you obtain to qualify you for your field?

I have a BS and an MS in Education. The education degrees at first grimace, in my mind back then, seemed to be a waste of time and resources. In hind sight they were good because everything one does is “teaching” at some level.

I have written the Q & A Column “The Classroom” in the American Bee Journal for about 20 years and this was possible and has lasted, I think, because this is an educational format. And I have been able to travel the world to educate / teach others because of this additional training. The important thing is that education and degrees are a must for entry into places in our society but it takes continuous learning as this is only the first step. Confidence never comes from having all the answers; it comes from being open to all the questions.

As far as furthering my education and credentials in my specialty, I have a patient, excellent wife who supported the idea of going back to school to learn about Apiculture. So, we sold everything and took our 2 year old son, a dog and a utility trailer full of stuff and headed from Nevada to Ohio State University and a program run by Dr. Jim. Tew. When I went back to OSU it was for another BS in Apiculture, of course.

cz:What was your first job in the field?

After this additional schooling my first job in this field was at the USDA/ARS Bee Breeding and Stock Lab in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This only lasted a short time because I was offered a job with Dadant & Sons, the country’s largest manufacturer and distributor of honey bee supplies and hardware, located in Hamilton, Illinois. I was with them 18 years as Director of New Product Development before coming to this position in Florida.

cz:Describe a typical day on the job.

There is some pattern to the day but no day is typical. With the number of staff I have and consumers (1700 beekeepers) and managing multiple research projects, writing the monthly “Classroom” for the American Bee Journal, and traveling/speaking it is something relatively new every day.

cz:What do you like most about what you do?

The variety. If I had to face the same thing everyday it would not be fun. I get an opportunity to try to juggle several issues and items every day mostly successfully. Some days are more successful than others but the challenge is the most engaging part for me. Plus, I am able to interact with colleagues across the nation and the world. Talking and collaborating with smart people is a daily motivator.

cz:What do you like least about your job?

This is my first expedition into Government Service. Interesting world. Lots of really smart motivated people who do good work and would like to do more.

cz:What has been the most rewarding experience so far in your career?

The Apiary Section was going to be eliminated 7 years ago. I was hired then to see if I could add value and relevance to the Section to help Florida beekeepers. Long story short, we are still here. I am a lot more gray now than then but it has been a fun challenge.

cz:What is the biggest challenge for you in the job?

In the private sector, where I operated for years, there are revenue, efficiency and progress mile posts mostly tied to P/L sheets. There are no such markers in Public Service. The value you add has to affect consumers positively and they have to remember it. This job is doing things to add value and then continuously market and advertise yourself through others because you are not allowed to do it yourself.

cz:What are the most important personal and professional skills necessary to succeed in your field?

Product knowledge is fundamental but public relations skills are even more important.

cz:What could someone do to learn more about this field right now?

Give me a phone call after visiting www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/plantings/apiary/apiary.html and www.UFHoneybee.com as there is a lot of honey bee information in general and under African Bees more with videos.

cz:What advice would you offer to students making a career choice or on work life itself?

If you can get up in the morning and 80% of the time say to yourself that this will not be too bad and maybe even be enjoyable then you are okay. This comes from having a passion for what you do. If you have this, are committed, smart and honest then you can do anything. The next part is the hardest, which is enduring to the end. This is where most people give up, fall apart and lose their smile. I have a quote from Einstein on my desk; “You have to learn the rules of the game and then you have to play better than anyone else.”

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