Disease Prevention and Veterinary Treatments

5.9.20 Disease prevention in beekeeping shall be based on the following principles:

(a) the selection of appropriate hardy breeds,
(b) the application of certain practices encouraging strong resistance to disease and the prevention of infections, such as: regular renewal of queen bees, systematic inspection of hives to detect any health anomalies, control of male broods in the hives, disinfecting of materials and equipment at regular intervals, destruction of contaminated material or sources, regular renewal of beeswax and sufficient reserves of pollen and honey in hives.

5.9.21 If despite all the above preventive measures, the colonies become sick or infested, they must be treated immediately and, if necessary, the colonies can be placed in isolation apiaries.

5.9.22 The use of veterinary medicinal products in beekeeping, which complies with this Standard, shall respect the following principles:

(a) Only veterinary medicinal products that are authorized for the specific uses under the Animal Remedies Act (and/or the ACVM Act, HSNO act.

(a) Phytotherapeutic and homeopathic products shall be used in preference to allopathic products chemically synthesised, provided that their therapeutic effect is effective for the condition for which the treatment is intended.

(b) If the use of the above mentioned products should prove or is unlikely to be effective to eradicate a disease or infestation which risks destroying colonies, allopathic chemically synthesised medicinal products may be used under the responsibility of a veterinarian, or other persons authorised by AsureQuality, without prejudice to the principles laid down in paragraph (a) above.

(c) The use of allopathic chemically synthesised medicinal products for preventive treatments is prohibited

(d) Without prejudice to the principle in (a) above formic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid and oxalic acid and the following substances: menthol, thymol, eucalyprol or camphor can be used in cases of infestation with Varroa jacobsoni.

5.9.23 In addition to the above principles, veterinary treatments or treatments to hives, combs etc, which are compulsory under national legislation shall be authorised.

5.9.24 If a treatment is applied with chemically-synthesised allopathic products during such a period, the colonies treated must be placed in isolation apiaries, the products shall not be sold as organic and all the wax must be replaced with wax complying with the conditions laid down in this Standard. Subsequently, the conversion period of one year will apply to those colonies.

5.9.25 The requirements laid down in the previous paragraph do not apply to products mentioned in paragraph 5.9.22 (b)

5.9.26 Whenever veterinary medicinal products are to be used, the type of product (including the indication of the active pharmacological substance) together with details of the diagnosis, the posology, the method of administration, the products cannot be marketed as organically produced.