81-2,170. Beekeeping; contagion or infection; duty of owner to report to department; quarantine; when; notice; effect.

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to keep in his or her possession, without proper treatment, any colony of bees affected with any bee diseases, parasites, or pests or to expose any diseased or parasitized colony or infected hive or bee equipment so that flying bees may have access to them. Any person who knows that bees owned or controlled by him or her are affected with contagious or infectious diseases, parasites, or pests shall at once report such fact to the department stating all facts known to him or her with reference to the contagion or infection. When it has been determined that contagious or infectious diseases, parasites, or pests have been found in an apiary, such apiary may be quarantined by the department until released by the department. Whenever American foulbrood is found in the apiary, no colony, honey, or bee equipment of any kind shall be removed from the apiary unless under special written permit issued by the department. A notice shall be posted in each yard so quarantined, and written notice shall be sent to the owner or person in charge. Should any state be willing to accept bees or used bee equipment from a quarantined yard of bees in Nebraska, the department may, after all known contagious or infectious diseases, parasites, or pests have been destroyed, issue a special permit allowing bees and used bee equipment to be moved out of the state.

(2) If an exotic disease, parasite, or pest is found to have been introduced into this state, the director shall have the authority to quarantine any portion of this state until he or she can determine whether the disease, pest, or parasite has spread and may take action to eradicate or prevent the spread of the exotic disease, parasite, or pest as provided in the Nebraska Apiary Act. Beekeepers affected shall be notified in writing of the quarantine and shall also be notified in writing when the quarantine is released.

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