Honeybees: Why they need a veterinarian

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) requires a veterinarian to oversee the administration of any medically important antibiotics to honeybees because they are considered food animals. Learn about VFD regulations that beekeepers, bee suppliers, and veterinarians must follow when treating bee colonies. Explore the veterinary needs of the bee industry, including the transition from over-the-counter to prescription medications for bees. 

Participants can expect to learn about: 

• Changes to the bee industry as a result of the Veterinary Feed Directive
• Why veterinary services are needed in beekeeping  
• How to comply with the regulatory requirements of the VFD  

Dr. Donald E. Hoenig earned his VMD from the University of Pennsylvania. In a veterinary career spanning over four decades, he has worked as a mixed animal practitioner, USDA veterinary medical officer, teacher at Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine, and senior veterinarian advisor for the American Humane Farm Welfare Program. He was the state veterinarian and state public health veterinarian in Maine for 17 years. He also served as an AVMA congressional fellow in Washington, and has conducted development missions to Africa (Tanzania, The Gambia, and Ghana) as a member of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Veterinary Legislation Support Program.