2025 Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices (GAAMPs) Include Changes to Section on Honey Bees

By Ana Heck and  Meghan Milbrath

Beekeepers should review and follow current GAAMPs to minimize disturbances to neighbors and to benefit from some protection from nuisance litigation.

In November 2024, the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development approved the 2025 Draft Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices (GAAMPs). The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) posts the draft GAAMPs on its website. Care for honey bees is in the GAAMPs for the Care of Farm Animals. The section on honey bees in the approved 2025 Draft Care of Farm Animals GAAMPs include edits from previous versions. Read a summary of the changes to the 2024 GAAMPs for approval and use in 2025.

The recommendations outlined in the GAAMPs are not regulations or laws, but they do provide guidance on caring for honey bees and reducing disturbance to nearby properties. The GAAMPs are designed to protect farmers who have communities developing around them and to help guide farmers in being good neighbors in their communities. The GAAMPs for honey bee care include recommendations to prevent bees from becoming a nuisance to others and to ensure that the honey bees are getting the care that they require.

The GAAMPs are part of Michigan’s Right to Farm Act, which applies to Michigan beekeepers who generate some income from their beekeeping activities each year. Beekeepers who follow the recommendations outlined in the GAAMPs who receive a nuisance complaint can request a letter from Michigan Right to Farm describing their adherence to the GAAMPs. If a beekeeper receives a nuisance complaint, MDARD can respond and evaluate the activities of the beekeeper and the layout of the hives to determine if they are following the GAAMPs, which can help in the beekeeper’s defense. While adherence to the GAAMPs does not act as a complete barrier to complaints or lawsuits, it does provide an umbrella of protection from nuisance litigation. In addition to conformance to the GAAMPs, farmers also need to comply with all state and federal environmental and agricultural laws.

The public is welcome to provide public comment on the GAAMPs. Each year, committees composed of various experts review the GAAMPs and revise and update them as necessary. The committees revise sections based on new articles or resources in the scientific literature, input from the industry, and previous year nuisance complaints. The committee submits changes in the summer, and the revision is then available for public comment. After all comments are received, the committee works to incorporate public input. In the fall, the GAAMPs advisory committee chairperson presents the proposed GAAMPs to MDARD, which accepts them for the next year.