Volunteer with OBA
The Ontario Beekeepers’ Association (OBA) is working to revitalize our OBA committees to move forward the many issues that are important to our membership.
One of the key ways to revitalize many of our committees includes engaging with the wider OBA membership to bring in volunteers to share in the workload, first and foremost, but more importantly utilize the specific skill sets and knowledge that we know many of our members have and are willing to share. With that in mind, we would like to know if you are interested in volunteering and what committee you may be interested in volunteering for.
We are looking for an engaging mix including new and experienced beekeepers, hobbyists and commercial beekeepers, and in general those who are interested in working on behalf of all of our membership and for Ontario Beekeepers.
The OBA committee list and sub-committees/working groups are found below.
1. Best Management Practices Committee: The Best Management Practices (BMP) Committee supports and investigates the latest research for best management practices regarding apiculture. The committee identifies guidance, standards, approaches, and principles that apply to current industry issues and gaps.
The working groups/sub-committees that reside under the branch of Best Management Practices are:
- Varroa Management: stay up-to-date with Varroa management based on latest science
- Integrated Pest Management
- Habitat Preservation
2. Communications Committee: The Communications Committee is the primary liaison to the membership (and potential membership). To this end it provides direction and oversight to communications including the OBA brand, the Ontario Bee Journal, the OBA websites, the e-newsletter, all online/print materials and any other communications or programming deemed relevant. It is also responsible for strategies and programs related to the recruitment and retention of OBA members.
The working groups/sub-committees that reside under the branch of Communications are:
- Outreach (Ontario Bee Journal, Social Media, Website)
- Meetings
- Honey Promotion
- Membership Management (sub group memberships, local associations)
3. Education and Training Committee: The Education and Training Committee supports and promotes proper education and training of beekeeping and honey production in Ontario. This includes vetting education, training, and other outreach activities in support of the industry and its objectives. The committee identifies knowledge gaps, suggests topics, projects and other outreach activities for development and prioritizes specific education, training, and outreach activities for implementation.
4. Governance Committee: The Governance Committee oversees all aspects of the OBA’s governance systems, including planning and evaluation, policies and procedures, resolutions and by-laws, nominations and board orientation and development.
The working groups/sub-committees that reside under the branch of Governance are:
- Policy review
- Awards: review nominations, choose award winners
5. Issues Management Committee: The Issues Management Committee’s purpose is early identification and strategic response to critical issues facing the beekeeping industry in Ontario. The committee also oversees the management of government and other key stakeholder relationships and oversees the OBA partnership with the Canadian Honey Council.
The working groups that reside under the branch of Issues Management are:
- Advocacy: collaborate with support programs (wildlife compensation, risk-management, insurance), government programs, federal and regional programs, and stakeholders.
Please reach out to info@ontariobee.com if you are interested in volunteering with one of these great committees.
