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Question: What do cities like Atlanta, Chicago, Portland, Paris, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver have that NYC does not?

Answer: Legalized beekeeping.

Bee keeping is currently illegal in New York City. The New York City Health Code under Section 161.01 prohibits the possession, keeping, harboring and selling of “wild animals.” This ban’s listing of “all venomous insects” includes bees and in doing so outlaws beekeeping.

Honeybees are garden heroes! Honeybees help gardens grow more fruit and vegetables and produce sweet honey. They are nature’s best pollinators and contribute to productive harvests in community gardens, public parks and nature centers.

To legalize beekeeping in NYC and improve the health and well-being of our urban environment and populace, Just Food is working on two fronts: (1) calling for the Department of Health to remove or exempt honeybees from Health Code 161.01, and (2) supporting Council Member David Yassky’s Bill , introduced in January to City Council that would legalize beekeeping in NYC. Click here to read Just Food and David Yassky’s press release introducing the bill!