The SBGMI is currently comprised of over 600+ annual subscribed members spanning 6 countries with a majority residing in the Midwest of the United States. Our Facebook, Mailing list, and YouTube channels all have 1,000+ members/subscribers respectfully. Our board members are regionally located through the Southern Lower Peninsula of Michigan and Northern Ohio. We have an advisory board of advanced beekeepers and industry leaders/contributors who provide oversight, guidance, and assistance in organizational direction.
Below you will find a macro-view of our timeline and growth since inception:
January 2022 The SBGMI is publicly launched and open for membership.
March 2022 The SBGMI hosts the first annual virtual winter conference with the intent to provide education to over 100 paid participants interested in selecting for host-resistance and reducing acaricide use in their beekeeping practices. Session recordings were made available to participants and SBGMI members for one full year and shared intermittently to the public for free before being made completely public in February 2023 via the SBGMI YouTube Channel.
May/June 2022 50 Virgin VSH Queens were imported from Cory Stevens in Bloomfield, MO. and Trevor Bawden in Milwaukee, WI. for the purpose and intent to build awareness and impact drone congregation areas with Varroa Sensitive Hygiene. These queens were raised from proven breeder queens that have been selected through the Harbo Assay and instrumentally inseminated to ensure dissemination of high degree VSH alleles.
January 2023 The SBGMI introduces virtual educational opportunities to participants for free with option to donate.
February 2023 The SBGMI hosts the second annual virtual winter conference with the intent to provide education to over 200 paid participants interested in scientific and research driven beekeeping. The focus on sustainable beekeeping management practices over the course of a beekeeping season while remaining focused on selecting honeybees for host-resistance was the general theme. Session recordings were made available to participants and SBGMI members and will for one full year be shared intermittently to the public for free before being made completely public in February 2024.
Spring 2023 120 Virgin VSH Queens were imported from Cory Stevens in Bloomfield, MO. for the purpose and intent to build awareness and impact drone congregation areas throughout Michigan with Varroa Sensitive Hygiene. These queens were raised from proven breeder queens that have been selected through the Harbo Assay and instrumentally inseminated to ensure dissemination of high degree VSH alleles.
Summer 2023 The Northern Queen Initiative is soft launched by the SBGMI. Four regionally distinct queen producers acquired Instrumentally Inseminated Breeder Queens from Harbo Bee Co. Queen producers grafted VSH stock from breeder queens and distributed them via local pickup and national overnight shipping. In total between June and July 2023 the NQI distributed 200+ high quality VSH virgin queens, cells, and mated queens. Queen producers were trained in logistics for overnight shipping, subsidized with shipping and queen rearing supplies, and provided with breeder stock for their efforts.
Fall 2023 The SBGMI eclipses 430+ annually subscribed members. Our veritable library of new and engaging talks located on our SBGMI YouTube Channel continues to grow. The 3rd Annual Virtual Winter Conference is announced and is expected to attract 300+ attendees. The NQI acquires 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Foundation status and begins seeking grants and benefactors while promoting a northern regional queen breeding network in Michigan and beyond.
Winter 2023/2024 Marketing and promotion campaign for the 3rd Annual Virtual Winter Conference begins marking a 300% increase of past registrations. The SBGMI launches beekeeping educational outreach with Michigan Beekeeping Club Bee Schools by donating and offering scholarships to our 3rd Annual Winter Conference for Bee School registrants. The SBGMI is proud to have offered scholarship or partnered with Heroes to Hives, Colorado State Beekeepers Education, Holland Area Beekeepers Association, Grand Rapids Bee Club, Hives for Heroes, Southeastern Michigan Beekeepers Association, and many others to assist in the promotion of sustainable beekeeping practices in Michigan.
Winter 2024 The SBGMI eclipses 600+ annually subscribed members. The 3rd Annual Virtual Winter Conference concludes in February having registered 382 attendees and maintained a 200 person audience through 10 hours of streaming.